Police have renewed their plea for help to find missing Kelvedon man Chris May – a month after he was last seen.

Detective Chief Inspector Marina Ericson, of Essex Police, urged anyone withholding any information to put themselves “in his family’s shoes” and “consider the effects his disappearance is having on them”.

Mr May, 28, of St Mary’s Road, was last seen on Monday, May 25, and his car was found abandoned in Troy’s Chase, Fairstead, at 11.30am that morning.

On Sunday, a major search of the Fairstead area involving more than 80 police officers and members of the public as part of the investigation to find Mr May found “nothing of interest”.

It came after a letter sent via Royal Mail and delivered to Witham police station on June 1 stated Mr May had been the victim of an assault that had led to his death.

Yesterday, Det Ch Insp Ericson said: “I would like to be able to give Chris’s family the answers they so desperately need, as to why Chris remains missing after a month of investigation and searching.

“I urge anyone, who may still be holding information relating to Chris’s disappearance, for whatever reason, to put yourself in his family’s shoes and consider the effects his disappearance is having on them.

“I hope this may persuade those people to have the confidence to come forward and tell us what they know.”

She added: “To date we have had a great response from the public to our appeals, which have been shared widely across social media.

“I am continuing to appeal to anyone who was in or around the Fairstead area on Monday, May 25, who may have seen someone or something suspicious to contact my team.

“Equally, anyone who walks that stretch of the Essex Way who may have any information should please get in touch.

“I also still need to trace the author of the letter delivered to Witham police station on June 1, which said that Chris had been killed.

“Locally in Coggeshall and Kelvedon particularly most people are aware that Chris is missing.

“Posters have been put up by his friends and family and we have received good local media coverage to try and encourage as many people as possible to come forward with any information they have.”

Mr May was due to start a new job with a friend building tennis courts the day after he went missing.

His father, Peter May, was the last person to see the 28-year-old; he visited his father’s home in Coggeshall that morning.

To help police with their investigation, call 101