The family of missing Manic Street Preachers star Richey Edwards believe they have explosive new evidence that could shed light on the mystery of his disappearance - and mean they have spent 23 years appealing for information about the wrong times.

Guitarist and songwriter Richey was aged 27 when he vanished after driving from London to Cardiff over the Severn Bridge.

His Vauxhall Cavalier was later found abandoned nearby and it is widely believed he jumped to his death from the bridge, a well known suicide spot.

But a body has ever been recovered and Richey's heartbroken family has endured a 23 year hell of not knowing what happened to their loved one.

Manic Street Preachers star Richey Edwards went missing in 1995. Bombshell new evidence suggests his family has been appealing for sightings of him at the wrong times for 23 years

Richey's parents, Graham and Sherry Edwards have endured an agonising 23 years of not knowing what happened to their son. They hope the new evidence could shed light on his fate

Richey's car was found abandoned near to the Severn Bridge and it is widely believed he jumped to his death. But mystery still surrounds his disappearance

In their search for answers, they spent more than two decades believing the rocker crossed the Severn Bridge at 2.55pm on February 1, 1995.

The Metropolitan Police told the family that he had checked out of a London hotel at 7am and driven across the Severn Bridge later that afternoon.

But bombshell new evidence has now come to light suggesting Richey crossed the bridge at 2.55am - leaving a 12 hour gap in information.

Though it is unclear whether the crossing was 12 hours earlier or 12 hours later than previously thought.

Sister Rachel Edwards said: 'We were told that Richard crossed the bridge at 2.55pm and we have the toll booth receipt that says 2.55.

'So we were led to believe there was an eight-hour window between his time of departing the hotel to crossing the bridge on that same day.'

Since Richey went missing, his family have spent 23 years searching for clues.

But his sister is now convinced those timings do not add up.

She said: 'It's since come to light by tracking down the person who made the bridge's time recording machines and making inquiries that it was a 24-hour clock, it always was.

The Severn Bridge - a known suicide spot - is at the centre of mystery surrounding Richey's disappearance. It is widely believed he jumped to his death from the crossing

The family had believed Richey crossed the Severn Bridge at 2.55pm because there was a toll booth receipt saying '2.55'. But they now believe it may be 2.55am

The family has campaigned for 23 years in a desperate bid to find out what happened to Richey

'That meant 2.55 was 2.55am. So we were appealing to people to have seen him at certain times that day when actually those times are meaningless now.

'We are hoping that it will establish a new line of inquiry because this is vital information that changes everything and turns it all on its head and needs to be looked at again.'

Police say the case remains open and that his family's findings are being looked into.

Richey's car was later found abandoned at the Severn View service station.

His sister has been interviewed as part of ITV Cymru Wales programme - Wales This Week: The Left Behind tonight (Thurs) at 8.30pm.

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, or see Samaritans.org for details.