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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Kit Heren

Police search woodland for missing girl, 16, after two arrested on suspicion of kidnap

Louise Smith went missing a week ago (Picture: PA)

Police have been searching through woodland and a country park to find a teenage girl who went missing on VE Day.

Louise Smith, 16, was last seen on May 8 at around midday in Havant in Hampshire, south England.

A man and a woman, both aged 29, were released on bail on Sunday after being arrested on suspicion of kidnapping Louise.

Hampshire Police have been carrying out "extensive" searches for her in the Havant Thicket and Staunton Country Park areas, along with the county's search and rescue team, they said.

Havant Thicket, where police are looking for Louise Smith (Robin Webster/Creative Commons 2.0)

And officers appealed for the public to help them find the missing teenager by checking dash-cam and video footage from VE Day.

Chief Inspector Alex Reading said: “If you were out celebrating or filming on VE Day in Leigh Park, we ask you to please take a look back over your footage to see if you captured Louise walking by.

“We are still treating this as a missing person investigation, and our priority is to find Louise and make sure she is safe.

“Louise, if you are reading this, please call us and let us know you are okay. We just want to know that you are safe.

“If you feel you cannot call us, then please call a friend or a loved one – we need to know that you are okay.”

Being out of contact with family is "very out of character" for Louise, police added.

Louise is white, 5ft 2in tall, of slim build, with straight, black, shoulder-length hair.

She was last seen in black jeans, a black and white striped t-shirt, black trainers and a black coat with a fur hood.

Officers ask anyone with information to call police on 101, quoting 44200163113, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

You can also submit information online here.

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