Police plea over year-old mystery

3:27pm Friday 21st November 2008

A RENEWED police appeal was made this week to solve the year-long mystery of how a student suffered serious head injuries.

Peter Wake still needs constant medical care as a result of injuries suffered in an apparent fall near his student digs in Durham.

His unconscious body was found at the bottom of a flight of concrete steps in a side street off Grape Lane, near the Elm Tree pub, in Crossgate, on the morning of Wednesday, November 21, last year. He was taken to the University Hospital of North Durham, in Durham, before being transferred to Newcastle General Hospital, suffering serious head injuries.

The third-year history student at St John’s College remained in a coma at the hospital for two months, but was moved to a hospital closer to his family home, in New Malden, Surrey, earlier this year.

Mr Wake, now 21, is classed as stable, but is unable to function independently. A website run by his family, www.peterwake.org.uk, provides regular updates and news of fundraising efforts for a trust in his name.

Mr Wake had been out with friends in Durham City centre on the night of November 20, 2007.

Police have monitored cctv footage, and are aware he left the Love Shack night club, in Walkergate, off Claypath, just after midnight. He was seen walking across Milburngate Bridge before going out of sight of cameras at 12.06am, heading towards North Road roundabout. When found at 7.20am on the Wednesday morning, he was barely 30 metres from his rented accommodation, in Allergate. A keen sportsman, Peter, 6ft, was wearing a short-sleeved, blue and white hooped shirt with a rugby-style collar.

Det Sgt Tony Dumighan, of Durham CID, said: “We have no reason to believe Peter was the victim of foul play, but we have been unable to trace anyone who actually saw what happened to him.”

Anyone who can help can call police on 0345-6060-365.