THE family of a Swindon man with a history of mental health difficulties who went missing ten years ago this week has appealed for any new information about his whereabouts.

Paul Trowbridge was last seen on June 22, 2007, when he left his home in Kingshill and concerned family members have heard nothing from him for the last decade.

“It is not just me who’s worried, but also his foster parents,” said Zoë Hoggan, 32, Paul’s sister.

“He’s missed out on marriages, birthdays, everything to do with the whole family. He’s not a dangerous person, he’s just vulnerable to himself.

“I just feel empty, and it’s just left a big hole really. He should be around with us and sharing in our families. I can’t explain it any other way to be honest, it’s just a massive void.”

There have been no reported sightings of Paul, now 35, who left his home with a friend, but without his medication.

Zoë said that she was appealing for any information to be reported: “I feel like this is the only way I can do something for him.”

“He could be living under a couple of other names,” she added.

“He could be using Collins, that’s our mother’s maiden name; or Bealing, our dad’s name – that’s what he was called before he changed his name at 18.”

Paul and Zoë were both born in Swindon, before a tumultuous family life led to them being separated at a young age.

Paul remained in Swindon, where he was fostered, while Zoë was adopted into a family in Cumbria.

“We’ve been fostered separately all of our lives,” said Zoë.

“Paul has inherited our parents’ mental health problems and they just couldn’t look after him. Our mum had MS as well. With the breakdown of our family and our different needs we were fostered by different families.”

Despite living apart, Paul and Zoë saw each other regularly as children.

“While growing up it would be up to five or six times a year,” explained Zoë.

“Our mum died in 1997, and we went down to see her in Wales – we saw a lot of each other around then.

“He was quite close to his [foster] family growing up. He had two foster sisters and a foster brother growing up, as well as his foster parents.”

Paul had gone missing before, said Zoë: “I think there was an instability in his life. He went off for a few days and we found him in a church.”

Now, she says Paul’s family have no idea where he may have gone: “I’m not sure if he is still around the Swindon area. I think he told a friend something about going to London, but Paul saying something and doing something are different things.”