Missing schoolgirl and PC - police probe 'sightings'

Detectives searching for teenager Naomi Mills, who is thought to have run off with a 22-year-old policeman, were today investigating a number of possible sightings of the pair.

A major land and sea search was also under way for 15-year-old Naomi and West Mercia Police PC Matthew Brooks along the north coast of Scotland.

Concern has grown for the pair since the car borrowed by 22-year-old Pc Brooks was found abandoned on a beach in Tongue, near Thurso, yesterday morning.

PC Brooks, who is based in Worcester, was a long-standing friend of Naomi Mills’s family, and his friendship with her is understood to date from before he joined the police.

Northern Constabulary officers extended the search to the hills near the coastline at first light and were working on a number of potential sightings.

A spokesman said: “From house-to-house inquiries we had a couple of leads that we followed up last night and that we are continuing to follow up this morning.”

There were “possible sightings” of the pair in the Tongue area yesterday, but no further information was being released at the moment.

He said of the search: “We are being assisted again by the Coastguard and by Assynt mountain rescue team, who are familiar with the area and who will be extending a search area to cover the hills following yesterday’s shoreline search.

“The mountain rescue team will also be searching bothies and outbuildings which are normally used by climbers and hill walkers in the area, and advising police of possible routes which the couple might have taken if they are indeed still in the area.”

Officers were visiting ports and harbours including Scrabster, which links Orkney to the mainland, and Ullapool, from where services operate to the Western Isles, in a bid to trace the couple.

Pictures of Naomi and Matthew Brooks were also being sent to Wick Airport and to rail and bus companies in the area.

Chief Superintendent Ramsay McGhee, who is coordinating the operational aspect of the inquiry, said: “The couple’s safety and present whereabouts still remain a concern for both myself and colleagues in the West Mercia Police area.

“I would appeal to anyone who may have seen a couple answering their description to contact the police immediately.

“As information comes in, we would like to eliminate possible hill walkers from our inquiries so if you were in the Tongue area over the weekend, please contact us.

“If the couple themselves hear this appeal then I would appeal to them to get in touch with either myself, colleagues in West Mercia or parents and friends.”

West Mercia Police said Matthew has known Naomi for some time.

Detective Superintendent Ray Groves, who is leading the hunt for the couple, said: “Our understanding is that he has been a long-standing family friend.

“It appears their relationship has become closer in recent months.

“We are not prepared to speculate on the specifics of the relationship without speaking to them first but it is known there is a very close personal relationship between them.”

Mr Groves said he knew of no reason for the couple to disappear.

“There is nothing to indicate that Naomi’s disappearance is anything but consensual and we believe she has gone willingly,” he said.