Friends lie to police in misguided bid to protect missing Dundee schoolgirl

It came as friends of Michaela Hunter were accused of giving false information to the police in a deliberate attempt to frustrate their search.

Concern is mounting for the safety of the 13-year-old pupil at St John's High School in Dundee, who has been missing since Monday.

As part of the inquiry into Michaela's disappearance, officers from Tayside Police visited St John's High School on Thursday in the hope that classmates could provide the force with crucial information about her disappearance.

But a spokeswoman for the force said: "Sadly, efforts to trace Michaela have been hampered by the police being fed deliberately misleading or inaccurate information on Michaela's movements and whereabouts in what police think is a mistaken attempt to assist the missing girl in evading the police."

Yesterday, as the search for the missing girl intensified, Michaela's mother, Audrey Reid, made a direct appeal to her daughter.

Speaking from the Dundee headquarters of Tayside Police, Ms Reid pleaded: "Please come home, Michaela.

"I love you and want you back safe and sound.

"Everyone is worried sick. There is nothing that you can't talk to me about and you are not in any trouble."

She added: "There are so many dangers out there for a 13-year-old girl, dangers that I have talked to her about in the past.

"It's been five days now and I just need to know that Michaela is safe and that she isn't scared. I've called her friends and no-one appears to know where she is.

"If any of her friends do know where she is, they need to do the right thing and tell the police or tell me so that we can find Michaela."

Chief Inspector Suzie Mertes, who is leading the search, said: "It is vitally important we find Michaela.

"She is a vulnerable 13-year-old girl and we would urge any member of the public who has information that may assist the police to come forward."

Chief Inspector Mertes, added: "She is only 13 years old and although she may not think she is at risk, we know that she is. She is not in any trouble at home or with the police, but we really do need to know she is OK."

Twenty officers are now involved in the search for the schoolgirl and posters have been issued, appealing for information.

Michaela was reported missing after she left her home in the city's Yeamans Lane about lunchtime on 19 April.

There has been a reported sighting of her on a bus heading from the city centre to the Charleston area of Dundee at about 5:10pm on Tuesday. Michaela is described as around 5ft tall, slim, with brown eyes and long brown hair.

She was last seen wearing black trousers, a white shirt, a black cardigan, and a grey and pink jacket.

Tayside Police have already warned that anyone providing shelter to the teenager may be committing an offence.