SOMERSET NEWS: Urgent appeal to help find missing schoolgirl Ella Read

AN URGENT appeal has been made to help find missing 14-year-old schoolgirl Ella Read.

Ella was dropped off at Holyrood Academy in Chard at 8.10am on Monday (January 29, 2018) morning, but did not attend registration.

A police spokesman said: “She is known to use public transport and we’ve reason to believe she may have travelled south into the Devon and Cornwall area.”

Ella is white, of medium build, 5ft 4ins tall with bobbed brown hair.

She was wearing a black puffer style jacket over her school uniform which consists of a black blazer, white shirt and a black skirt when she went missing. She was also carrying a school bag.

Detective Inspector Lindsay Shearlock said: “Ella’s disappearance is out of character and we’re concerned for her welfare.

“Temperatures were close to freezing on Monday night and, from what we know, she certainly wasn’t prepared for sleeping outdoors.

“She’s likely to be scared and very cold and we want to find her as soon as possible.

“We’re using a significant amount of resources, including the police dogs, to find Ella but we really need the public to support us.”

If you see Ella please call police immediately on 999 providing the call handler with reference 5218021193.

UPDATE: 2.20pm on Tuesday, January 30, 2018: Police reported that Ella had thankfully been found safe.