POLICE in the New Forest have appealed to the public for help in finding a Lymington teenager who vanished on her way to school on Monday morning.

Lauryn Hill, who lives at Bays Road, Pennington, set off from her home as usual on Monday when she was taken by taxi to Brockenhurst, where she normally catches a coach to Highcliffe School.

The 16-year-old stepped out of the taxi at around 7.50am at the bus stop, but failed to get on the coach and has not been seen since.

Lyndhurst-based Detective Inspector Mark Ashthorpe, who is leading the search, said all possibilities were being investigated and added: "This is out of character for Lauryn. She has never gone missing before and we are concerned."

In a message to her daughter, Lauryn's mother Helen Hill said: "Lauryn, we are all so worried about you. Please come home or get in touch with someone to let us know you're all right."

Lauryn is about five feet one inch tall, with a full figure and short dark spiky hair. When she set off for school she was wearing black jeans, a black cardigan and fawn-coloured knee-high suede boots.

She was not wearing a coat, but may have had a pink Burberry-style check scarf and pink velour top with her.

The police investigation has already stretched as far as Kent and Detective Inspector Ashthorpe explained: "She has got some connections with Kent and we are tracing those people to see if she has gone there."

Detectives have also contacted fellow students who were at the bus stop, but so far there has been no indication as to which direction she took when she left the bus stop.

Detectives have also been studying CCTV footage from Brockenhurst Railway Station.

Anyone who can help should call Detective Inspector Ashthorpe on 0845 045 45 45.