Get in touch, pleads mother of missing schoolgirl Megan

Police have appealed to Megan Stammers and Jeremy Forrest to make contact.

It is believed that Mr Forrest, 30, is a maths teacher at the same school that Megan attends, Bishop Bell C of E School in Eastbourne, East Sussex.

There have been no reported sightings or contact with the pair since they vanished, and Sussex police were last night pursuing “critical lines of inquiry”.

Urgency

Chief inspector Jason Tingley of Sussex Police told a press conference on Monday that the police believe the pair are still in France having failed to board the Sunday crossing they were booked on.

“We believe Megan is still in France,” he said. “I have a message to Megan. You are not in any trouble. Please get in touch.“

Megan’s parents Martin Stammers and Dannielle Wilson told the assembled press that her disappearence was out of character. “She would never bring trouble to my door,” said Ms Wilson.

Appeals for help in tracing Megan continued to be posted on Twitter and Facebook, including by her sister Brooke. She tweeted: “Keeping hope that we’ll have good news soon. Need our meg home safe and sound #keepfaith #findmeganstammers.”

During the press conference, Mr Stammers encouraged family and friends to continue these efforts.

“We would appeal to her to get in touch with her family to let them know she is okay, and we would echo the police’s call for anyone with information to contact them.

“As a matter of urgency we are investigating exactly what has happened and will decide what action needs to be taken. We are in close contact with police and we cannot comment further at this stage.”

You are not in any trouble. Please get in touch. Chief inspector Jason Tingley

Earlier officials at East Sussex County Council said they were investigating the background of the case “as a matter of urgency”. It said in a statement: “Obviously this is a serious situation and one which we and the school are extremely concerned about. Our main concern is Megan’s safe return home.

Risk

The alarm was raised at midday on Friday after Megan failed to turn up for school. Nine hours later she crossed from Dover to Calais, sparking an appeal to trace her.

Police have said they do not believe Megan is at risk but they are in contact with the French authorities in an effort to reunite her with relatives.

A website – http://www.meganstammers.com/ – has also been set up to appeal for information about Megan’s whereabouts. Officers have appealed for information about the whereabouts of a black Ford Fiesta, registration GJ08 RJO, driven by Forrest, from Ringmer, near Lewes.