A year after doctor David Holland disappeared in New Zealand, his UK family are clinging on to hope that their 'golden boy” will be found, and ask locals to keep searching as a new lead has emerged.

'We still have hope. And always will. He is alive in our hearts and minds,” his mother Karen Holland told Stuff.

The former teacher and school principal in Wales, said she had been living 'a nightmare” since her youngest son, an anaesthetic registrar at Tauranga Hospital, disappeared on Friday, March 11, 2022, after indicating to friends he was going for a swim.

'Life changed forever when I took the late-night phone call from New Zealand. We still have no news. Nothing. Just speculation. A nightmare. Living the other side of the world brings different challenges, circumstances and poignancy,” she said.

David Holland, originally from Swansea in Wales, had been living in New Zealand since 2017, she said, where she had visited him twice for lengthy periods. A planned visit in 2020 was halted by Covid. Tragically, her next visit in March 2022 was to join the police search for her son, along with one of his brothers Rhodri.

Karen Holland said family and friends were lighting candles today for David, and asked New Zealanders to do the same, and to continue hoping in the search for her son.

'Please join us in lighting a candle. Today and tomorrow will be difficult days for our family and friends ... Dealing with ambiguous loss, grieving, looking for answers is part of my life and the lives of Tom and Rhodri, my other two sons. Grief doesn't go away and can be incredibly lonely. No parent chooses this road.”

CCTV captured a man, thought to be David Holland, walking over Tauranga's Sandhurst Drive overbridge onto Truman Lane, then north towards State Highway 29A. The images are from the night Holland went missing - Friday, March 11, 2022. NZ Police.

The family were hugely grateful to all those who had helped in the search, and appealed to anyone who could help.

'I thank New Zealanders for everything they have done. It genuinely means a lot. If anyone has other information that can be shared about the evening he disappeared then please let the police know. Try and remember back to that night, if you were in the area. Look around you - anyone that you now know or have seen that looks like David.”

The uncertainty of not knowing was hard, she said.

'As a family we want to find some peace, some answers and get David back with us if he's still around somewhere.”

Beach access at the end of Pacific View Rd, Papamoa, which leads to Papamoa Beach, where David Holland was believed to have gone for a swim. New footage this week suggests otherwise. Photo: Stuff.

His mother holds on to 'precious” memories of 'a beautiful human being.”

'Clever, multi talented, sporty, caring, kind, thoughtful - a beautiful human being. The golden boy as his brothers called him.

Holland, 31, was last seen on the evening of March 11 after being captured by a CCTV camera near his home.

Friends believed he was going for a swim at Pāpāmoa Beach, via the beach access at Pacific View Rd.

Hundreds of volunteers turned out to search for missing man David Holland after he went missing in 2022. Photo: Supplied.

A potential new lead emerged this week when police released CCTV footage believed to be Holland.

The footage recorded a man walking alone across the Sandhurst Dr overbridge onto Turman Lane and then north towards SH29A about 7.58pm on the night Holland went missing.

The video shows a man wearing hiking boots, long tan coloured pants, and a dark-coloured long-sleeved hooded top.

The CCTV image shows a man wearing hiking boots, long tan coloured pants, and a dark-coloured long-sleeved hooded top. It is believed to be David Holland. NZ Police.

Acting on this new information the Matapihi/Maungatapu area was searched but without success.

Holland studied medicine at St George's University at St George's Hospital in Tooting, London.

His friends say he is an experienced swimmer who 'loves the ocean”.

A keen surfer and snorkeller, he's also a free diver, scuba diver and had completed training in rescue diving.

Holland's mates – including his frisbee group – were gathering on Saturday to remember him, said friend Matt Shand.

Missing doctor David Holland. Photo: Supplied.

The new video footage had inspired fresh hope, he said. 'I hope people will look at it, and it will remind them of something. Everyone just wants to know what happened.”

Shand last saw his friend, who he described as 'a caring soul” two weeks before he disappeared.

Police, LANDSAR, Surf Life Saving NZ, Coastguard and approximately 148 volunteers participated in extensive land searches for Holland last year. A total of 612 hours was put into the search.

Police said they have received a number of tips from the community, but his whereabouts remains unknown.

Police would like to hear from anyone who has seen Holland, or who might have information about his movements or whereabouts.

Anyone with information is urged to call 105 and quote file number 220312/6869.

Annemarie Quill/Stuff