Esme Smith: Sister says missing girl may have met someone in London

Sian Smith: 'She's not in trouble. We just want her back'

Esme Smith, the 14-year-old schoolgirl who has been missing for more than a week, may have planned to meet someone in London, her sister has said.

Esme, from Farnham, Surrey, went missing last Thursday after she didn't come home from school. The teenager was seen on security camera footage at London’s Waterloo station, then at a branch of McDonald’s, before being seen walking alone north-east of Covent Garden at 6.02pm.

Her elder sister Sian, 19, said in a video appeal: "I think maybe she’s met somebody out there or she's planned to meet somebody. We don’t know at the moment, that’s the most worrying thing.

She assured her sister: "She's not in trouble. We just want her back. Obviously we're incredibly worried, please come home."

Detectives are growing increasingly concerned for Esme, who parted from friends after school, telling them she was going to Woking, 16 miles away, and then on to a party.

Instead the teenager changed out of her school uniform and caught a train from Aldershot just after 4pm, and arrived at London Waterloo about an hour later.

Esme, described as an “extrovert, vivacious, normal” teenager, has not been seen by her family or made contact with them since.

Detective inspector Martin Stables, of Surrey Police’s missing persons unit, said: “It’s now over a week since Esme went missing and it is an anxious time for the family as they wait for news. I am hoping these latest pictures may draw more information from the public about where Esme may be.”

Esme is described as white, 5ft 3in, and of slim to medium build, with shoulder-length brown hair that may be tied in a bun. Anyone with information is asked to call Surrey Police on 101, or the independent charity Missing People can be contacted anonymously on 116 000.