THERE is one thing that plumber Dave Llewellyn is desperate to know - what happened to his wife of 32 years after she vanished from their Chepstow home.

Three years ago tomorrow Mr Llewellyn left his wife at home and took the dog for a walk. When he returned she had disappeared.

A police search turned up nothing, and although Mr Llewellyn, 57, still searches for his "best friend", he now believes she must be dead. Mr Llewellyn said: "I don't think she's alive. I think she jumped in the river. It's the only explanation I could come up with. She went out with nothing and disappeared off the face of the earth."

The couple had been married for 32 years when Mrs Llewellyn, formerly a chemist's assistant, went missing from their home in Middle Way, Bulwark.

She was home on weekend leave from St Cadoc's Hospital, in Caerleon, where she was being treated for depression.

The days, weeks and months since his wife's disappearance have been hard for Mr Llewellyn, a self-employed plumber.

He said: "It is difficult, but life goes on. My life has changed completely, but I have purposely changed so I can carry on.

"I coach trampolining and I've doubled my coaching to keep me busy. There's not many nights that I'm not doing something. I need to keep busy because I don't know how I would cope otherwise."

Police officers using heat-sensitive cameras spent days searching the River Wye and the old quarry in Bulwark, without results.

The police investigation continues. Mr Llewellyn said: "Nine months ago a new inspector opened the case up again and I was interviewed many times. They searched my house thoroughly.

"Margaret had a record of mental illness and had tried to kill herself a number of times prior to going missing. She was a lost soul.

"I searched for her myself every day for 18 months, and today I still walk the routes she used to take. I have searched every possible area where she could have been but there's been nothing at all.

"It's hopeless. I still keep all her clothes and belongings. Her wedding ring is still on the bedside table. I just hope one day to know for certain what's happened to her."

A police spokeswoman said: "Gwent police review missing people cases on a regular basis and issues surrounding the disappearance of Mrs Margaret Llewellyn are no exception.

"Mr Llewellyn was not treated as a suspect but asked to assist once again with anything that might help in identifying where she is.

"The review is still ongoing and we would welcome any information from the public with regard to her disappearance." Anyone with information can call 01633 838999.