SUB-aqua teams have begun searching the River Taff in Cardiff for missing Blaenavon man Richard Davies.

Mr Davies (pictured on his wedding day) went missing from a Cardiff nightspot while on his Christmas work do on December 20.

Revellers reported seeing a man swimming in the River Taff around the time Mr Davies went missing.

South Wales Police used a helicopter and carried out searches after the report. However, because Mr Davies has made no contact with his family or police since he disappeared, specialist sub aqua teams started a more detailed search of the river in the Cardiff Bay area on Monday.

DC Stuart Summers, of Gwent Police, who are investigating his disappearance alongside the South Wales force, said: "We are at the stage of the investigation where we still haven't, despite our efforts, identified the person swimming in the river and no body has been recovered from the River Taff.

"All we are doing is reconsidering some of the things we have done so far. "It has been 25 days with no contact with the family or police despite appeals and we have had no positive sightings of him so we do have massive concerns."

Mr Davies's wife Michelle says she is stumped as to what has happened to her husband. She told us: "Our children and I are just desperate to see or just hear from him."

Today, in an in-depth interview for our LIFE feature series, Mrs Davies tells how she fell in love with her husband at first sight - and how the family have struggled to cope with the fact he has gone missing.

She says Mr Davies is a family man - but his disappearance has meant he has missed Christmas and New Year with his two children, Justin, aged 13, and 10-year-old Charlotte.

DC Summers said: "The family are still trying to remain optimistic at the moment and we are trying to assist them in any way we can.

"Because of the length of time involved I think things are starting to sink in a little bit now and she's started looking at the overall situation, while trying to remain positive about things she is very upset."

Anyone with information about Mr Davies's whereabouts is asked to call 01633 838111.