A Croydon schoolboy who mysteriously disappeared 30 years ago is now believed to have been murdered, police have revealed.

Kevin Hicks was 16 when he was last seen leaving his family home in Sissinghurst Road, Addiscombe, on March 2, 1986.

The John Ruskin School pupil had left with a pound to buy eggs for a school project from a shop less than 250 yards from his house.

But he never returned, having left his keys and bike behind.

RELATED: Missing boy's sister 'I think he's still alive'

His mum and dad never gave up hope of finding their son, appealing for information about Kevin until their deaths in 1994 and 2004 respectively.

The boy’s body was never found, and there is to this day no evidence that he is still alive.

Investigating officers, following a review earlier this year, now believe it is more than likely he was murdered.

A £20,000 reward is being offered for information that solves the mystery of what happened to the teenager following his disappearance.

Detective Inspector John McQuade, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "Kevin simply disappeared that night and was never seen nor heard of again.

"We can only imagine what the intervening years must have been like for his family, years of worry and distress at not knowing what happened.

"Many enquiries have been carried out over the years but Kevin's body has never been found but there is no evidence he is still alive.

“We believe Kevin must have met someone that night, been assaulted and his body disposed of.

"A substantial reward is now on offer for anyone with information leading to the discovery of Kevin's body or the prosecution of the person or people responsible for his murder.

"I hope this will encourage anyone with information - no matter how small you think that piece of information might be - to come forward as soon as possible."

RELATED: Keep the search for missing Addiscombe man Kevin Hicks alive

On the day he went missing, Kevin had spent a normal day with his family, sitting down for lunch together at their home.

At around 8.30pm he told his mum he needed to buy some eggs for his O-level home economics exam the next day.

He left with just £1 and headed off to Sperrings community shop on Lower Addiscombe Road.

He was last seen by someone who knew him at 10pm in Shirley Road, walking in the general direction of his home.

DI John McQuade, said: "We believe Kevin must have met someone in that hour-and-a-half and that person attacked him.

“Perhaps the suspect didn't mean to kill him but it is clear Kevin's body must have then been disposed of.

"On 25 October 1996, following media appeals, someone anonymously called the Croydon Advertiser and said they knew where Kevin's body was.

“We would appeal for that person to come forward and contact us again; you may have really important information for us.

"I truly believe people in the local Croydon community hold the answers to what happened to Kevin."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room on 020 8721 4005 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.