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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Ryan Merrifield

Missing schoolgirl, 13, found safe after vanishing from family for a week over Christmas

A missing schoolgirl has been found safe and well after vanishing a week ago.

Lyla Lake disappeared on December 21 from her home in Basingstoke, Hampshire, leaving her family to suffer a frantic Christmas.

The 13-year-old is a cousin of Olympic high jumper Morgan Lake and it is believed she took a train to Reading.

However, police confirmed this morning she is okay.

Hampshire Police tweeted at 1.43am: "We're pleased to tell you that 13-year-old Lyla, who was missing from Basingstoke, has been found safe. Thank you to everyone who shared our appeals and contacted us with information."

It is unclear where Lyla was found or by who.

Have you been affected by this story? Let us know at webnews@mirror.co.uk

Dad Nathan Lake had put out a heartbreaking video plea to help find his daughter, urging her to "please just come home safe".

Huge searches were conducted in the family's hometown.

Nathan begged anyone with information about Lyla's whereabouts to come forward before he spoke to his teenage daughter directly, saying: “Daddy loves you.”

In the video, he said: “My 13-year-old daughter Lyla has been missing for five nights and my family and I are pleading for someone out there just to please come forth with any information surrounding her whereabouts.

Police released a CCTV shot of Lyla (Police handout)

“Lyla is very insecure and naive for her age, but she is never out of the house after 8pm without her parents and hasn't stayed overnight anywhere except for family members for over 18 months.

“Someone must know something. Lyla, if you are watching this, Daddy loves you so much.

“If anything is worrying you, it is nothing which can't be sorted, so please, please just come home. You're not in trouble.

“You have got hundreds of people who care for you and we all just want you to come home safe.”

Police released a CCTV image of Lyla which showed her at Reading Train Station at 9.57pm on the night she went missing.

Detective Chief Inspector, Dave Storey, said: “Together with Lyla’s family we are growing increasingly concerned for her welfare.

“We now know that she took a train to Reading and it is possible she is still in that area.

"Therefore we are extending our appeal to the Reading area and are asking anyone who thinks they have seen Lyla since she went missing or anyone who thinks they might know where she is, to call us immediately.”

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