Fresh appeal for information on Monaghan woman missing 27 years

Thefamily of a Monaghan woman, missing 27 years, have launched a fresh appeal for information in the case.

Mum-of-three Susan ‘Bernadette’ Cooper (nee Hughes), originally from Castleblayney, vanished without a trace in January 1993.

Her family are hoping any new information received would prompt police in Britain and Spain to re-examine the case.

Bernadette first moved to London in her early 20s, before later travelling to Spain where she was popular among the Irish community and a well-known business person along the Costa del Sol.

Now, as Bernadette’s 77th birthday approaches on June 20, her nephew Leon Moore (61) believes someone somewhere may have information that could lead to her whereabouts.

The last known contact with Bernadette was a phone call to a friend announcing she was due to return to Spain to reopen her bar ‘Molly Malones’ in Benalmadena.

The call was placed from The Horse and Groom public house at London’s Tooting Broadway but Bernadette never arrived at her destination.

All her belongings in Benalmadena were found untouched, boxed up in the attic.

“She was a wonderful woman, my favourite aunt. A really great person, kind hearted and strong-willed. That’s why her disappearance is so out of character,” explained Leon.

News of the family’s appeal for information first appeared on the Olive Press, an English online media site catering for expats in Spain.

Bernadette’s story is also set to be carried by a number of national regional Spanish newspapers in the coming weeks.

“It’s very hard to not have closure, or any information for so long about Bernadette’s disappearance. It’s heartbreaking.

“There are lots of grey areas in this. We just want answers,” says Leon.