Missing teenager 'may flee country'

British airports and ports are on alert amid fears a 14-year-old girl thought to have gone missing with a 46-year-old man is trying to flee the country.

Police are "extremely concerned" for Stacey Marie Champ, whose mother Angela has made an emotional public appeal for her to return home.

Stacey, from Gillingham, was last seen on Thursday morning and it is feared she is with David John Milner, a family friend she has known for two years. He is known to have withdrawn more than £1,000 from his bank account.

A public appeal for information prompted a Scottish could to come forwrad to say thy had spoken to both Stacey and Milner in Yorkshire, news the police said was "very encouraging".

Mrs Champ, 33, said: "Stacey please just come home, I just want you home. You are not in any trouble. I love and I miss you. Max [the family cat] is missing you like hell. Just let me know that you are OK."

Inspector Richard Watson, of Kent Police, says officers are "extremely concerned" for Stacey. He said the suggestion the couple may try to leave the country had come from friends of the 14-year-old, a pupil at Upbury Manor Grammar School.

Ports and airports have been alerted about the search although Inspector Watson stressed Stacey was not thought to hold a passport.

He said Milner worked for a firm called Beach Communications, and was believed to be using a white Ford Escort van - registration number W639 RGE - with the company's name written on the side.

However, police also stressed they were keen to trace other cars he had access to - a blue Proton, registration number G60 SKE, and a red Ford Escort Sapphire five-door, registration number M69 WJN.

Milner is slim, 5ft 8ins and has short dark hair with a "5 o'clock shadow". He wears black-rimmed metal glasses and has a Manchester accent.

Stacey is 5ft 3in, has long light brown hair with blonde streaks and was wearing blue jeans, white Airtech trainers and a blue baseball cap - though she is thought to have spare clothes.