The family of Richard Fearnside say they are not giving up the fight for CCTV on passenger ships a year after his disappearance from a cross-channel ferry.

The 30-year-old, who lived in a flat in Whitehall Bridge Road, Canterbury, is believed to have died after falling overboard on P&O’s the Pride of Kent ferry during a crossing from Calais to Dover on May 21 last year.

The former Canterbury College student sparked a manhunt involving lifeboat crews, helicopters and a Navy ship - but a body has never been recovered.

In August more than 200 family and friends attended a service at Whitstable Castle to celebrate Richard’s life and his family also planted cherry trees near Victory Wood in his memory.

More than 96,000 people across the world signed a petition set up by his parents Bob and Marianne, of Clare Road, Whitstable, for CCTV to be installed on passenger decks after no footage of Richard was recorded after he went for a cigarette.

But the ferry operator said it would be impossible to cover all outside decks with CCTV and monitor the cameras in real time.

Writing on her Facebook page, Mrs Fearnside marked the one-year anniversary of her son’s disappearance by calling for action to avoid future incidents.

She posted: “A year ago today, every parent’s worst nightmare. P&O Ferries need to take responsibility for the safety of their passengers.”

But despite the family’s passionate protests the call for surveillance has been declined.

Last month, we reported that plans to place ferry passengers behind steel cages and close off outside decks were considered by the shipping industry in response to the campaign.

P&O Ferries wrote to the parents to say they had referred their request to their trade association but the decision was taken not to introduce new safety measures.

P&O spokesman Chris Laming explained the only way to prevent incidents such as Richard’s disappearance was to close outside decks but they remained a valued facility for passengers.

At the time of Richard’s disappearance he ran a business clearing houses.

To sign the petition visit this site.