Police divers were today expected to search waterways in their search for missing party-goer Paul Chaplin.

Officers want to rule out the possibility that Mr Chaplin, 20, from Roman Way, Wantage, fell into the Oxford Canal or Castle Mill stream, near Oxford's Chicago Rock Cafe.

Up to six divers from Thames Valley Police's base near Reading were due to start work later today.

Mr Chaplin was last seen at a Christmas party, buffet and quiz at the Park End Street venue last Wednesday, where he had been celebrating with 130 colleagues from RM, the school computers firm based at Milton Park, near Abingdon. Thames Valley Police spokesman Richard Goodfellow said: "We are very concerned for Paul's safety.

"We have used tracker dogs and a police helicopter in the search for him already and now we are bringing in underwater specialists, to try to rule out the possibility of him having fallen into the water.

"We have been liaising closely with Paul's parents over the past five days and they are very concerned. He is a family lad living at home, so this is most unusual.

"His work colleagues have been extremely helpful and have even given us access to his computers to see if they provide any clues as to his whereabouts." RM's personnel director Russell Govan said: "Paul Chaplin has been working at RM as a software developer since March this year and his colleagues are obviously all very shocked and concerned at his disappearance.

"The company is keen to assist the police in any way in the search for Paul.

"He had booked the day off after the party as holiday, so it was not until the Friday morning that the company was aware he was missing, when he did not turn up for work."

Mr Govan added that a photograph and a request for any information that could be helpful in the search had been issued to all staff.

"Several members of his department who were with him that evening have been helping the police with their inquiries," he said.

Story date: Tuesday 14 December

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.