A father to a son who has been missing for 25 years sang a rendition of a song that came to him in a dream to an audience including celebrities and royalty.

Peter Boxell, father to missing Lee Boxell, who disappeared aged 15 in 1988, took to the stage in front of celebrities including veteran newsreader Sir Trevor McDonald and HRH The Duchess of Gloucester to sing a song about his son at charity Missing People's annual carol service in central London on December 9.

Your Local Guardian: Lee Boxell

Lee went missing in 1988

North Cheam man Peter Boxell has never sung on stage before but said the heartfelt performance of his song Where's Lee? had its origins in a dream.

Mr Boxell, 67, said: "A few years ago I had a strong dream that I sang a song about Lee on a stage in front of an audience.

"I woke up the next morning, thought about the dream and I could remember the structure of the song, a few of the words and the chorus but not the verse.

"I'm not a musician, I can't sing and I had none of the skills to do anything with the song but I'm retired so I thought it could be a good hobby to write the song."

LISTEN TO 'WHERE'S LEE?'

Lyrics

My son Lee was only 15,
In September 88 when he went to Sutton Town,
But he never came back home, lee’s been missing so long.

Where’s my dear son Lee,
Always on my mind,
Where, where is Lee,
Oh where, where is Lee,

Is he safe and well?
Where’s my dear son Lee,
Lord help me find my son.

Mr Boxell said he continued to think about the song and write it and then a few months ago he mentioned it to Clare Cook of the charity Missing People who had invited him to speak at their annual Carol Concert. She suggested he could sing it at the event.

She put Mr Boxell in touch with producer James Hawkins who produced a backing track for the song. Mr Boxell then went away to work on the lyrics before returning to Mr Hawkins' studio earlier this month to record his vocals - after a singing lesson from Mr Hawkins.

Just days later Mr Boxell performed his song with backing from Richmond Rock Choir at St Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square. He said: "I gave my reading and then just sang it. I felt so confident that I really enjoyed it. It ended up coming out so loudly that I didn't even need a microphone.

"I got a standing ovation and it felt amazing, like I'd just won the X-Factor. At the end Sir Trevor McDonald got out of his limo and dashed over to congratulate me."

Lee Boxell went missing in September 1988 after going to Sutton town centre. Police are investigating the possibility that Lee may have been killed an buried in the grounds of St Dunstan's Church in Cheam and have begun to excavate the grounds.

To donate £3 to Missing People's Home for Christmas Appeal text Hope1 to 70707.

 


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