MURDER squad detectives are hoping a £5,000 reward will entice witnesses after there was no response to a schoolgirl's emotional plea about her missing father.

Sammy Feeley, 15, bravely appeared before reporters and television cameras at Greenbank police station, Whitebirk, to urge people: "Please help me find my Dad".

But her appeal seems to have failed to prick the consciences of those police believe are withholding information about what happened to David Guilfoyle, 37, of Royds Avenue, Accrington.

As a result, Acting Detective Superintendent Steve Brunskill said today: "We are very disappointed we have not had any response to the appeal and are now hoping the reward of up to £5,000 will encourage people to come forward."

The reward is being offered through Crimestoppers for information leading to an arrest. There is also a lesser reward for anyone who can help police find Mr Guilfoyle's body.

Mr Guilfoyle went missing on May 25 after he left the Grey Horse pub in Whalley Road, Accrington, where he had watched Liverpool win football's Champions League with friends.

He drove off in his green Jaguar XK8 and was never seen again. Police were alerted to his disappearance two days later by concerned friends.

Forensic scientists found blood outside his home, prompting police to declare that they believed Mr Guilfoyle had been murdered.

Woodland behind his home, a disused quarry in Hapton, parts of the canal in Burnley and a lodge behind Accrington Asda have been searched in the hunt for his body.

Police have also investigated any connections Mr Guilfoyle may have had to the local underworld through his dealing in smuggled cigarettes. But they have been unable to find anyone who held a grudge.

Mr Brunskill said: "I still have 25 detectives working on this case -- I have not released anyone. We are eight weeks down the line, but that is not unusual in a case where we haven't found the victim.

"Because he was a popular person, an international pool player and had a lot of business interests it has opened up a lot of lines of inquiry and these things take time."

One line of inquiry Mr Brunskill particularly needs information on is a small dark-coloured van that was reported to be parked outside Mr Guilfoyle's home on several Wednesday nights before his disappearance.

Anyone with information leading to a reward can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or by ringing the incident room at Greenbank on 01254 353626 or 353615.