English police ‘gravely concerned’ about safety of missing teenager

Police investigating the disappearance of a 17-year-old girl were last night “gravely concerned” for her safety after her friend was arrested on suspicion of kidnap.

Georgia Williams, from Wellington in Shropshire, was last seen on Sunday when she told her parents she was staying at a friend's house.

A 22-year-old man, also from the town, was arrested in a budget hotel in Glasgow city centre by officers from Police Scotland this morning on suspicion of kidnapping the girl. He remains in custody.

The officers also seized a grey Toyota van while forensics teams back in Shropshire carried out a fingertip search of a house in Wellington.

Superintendent Nav Malik, of West Mercia Police, said Georgia’s disappearance was “completely out of character”.

He described Georgia as “very bright” and a former head girl at her old school.

He added: “She wasn’t due to sit any exams, and we don’t know of anything that was troubling her.”

Mr Malik also confirmed Georgia’s father is a serving West Mercia Police detective constable.

He said the man in custody was “a friend” of Georgia’s but not her boyfriend, and “may have been the last person to see her”.

Detectives are keen to uncover the movements of the Toyota van, which it is believed is owned by a member of the arrested man’s family. Mr Malik said the van had made a journey to Scotland, arriving in Glasgow at midday on Tuesday. – (PA)