British police 'still optimistic' as missing girls deadline passes

British police are optimistic the two missing schoolgirls will be found alive, despite their failed plea to the possible abductor.

A midnight 'deadline' passed without anyone contacting police leading the hunt for the missing 10-year-olds.

But they say they have as much hope as ever that Holly and Jessica are still alive and are not overly surprised the abductor has not answered the plea.

A police spokesman said: "We don't know with certainty that Holly and Jessica have been abducted and therefore are not unduly anxious about the fact that no call has been received."

He went on: "If someone is holding the girls it is possible they don't have access to Jessica's phone and therefore could not access the message left by Mr Beck."

"Our optimism about finding Jessica and Holly alive remains as strong as it was on day one of this inquiry," he added.

The inquiry team - now 426 strong - is sifting through 14,000 items of information received since Holly and Jessica went missing. They have followed many dud leads, including excavating two apparent graves in woodland near Newmarket, only to decide later they were badger setts.

Detectives have discounted a potential sighting of the girls in a green car after taxi driver Ian Webster admitted his dashboard clock was an hour fast.