Search launched for girl who ran away with fraudster

Lorna Vickerage (left) and John Bush. Picture: PA

Schoolgirl Lorna Vickerage disappeared on Monday and is thought to be with family friend John Bush, 35. Both are from the north Doncaster area of South Yorkshire.

Detective Chief Inspector Craig Robinson, from South Yorkshire Police, said he believes the convicted fraudster will use his skills to hide his identity, location and pretend that Lorna is his daughter.

“We’ve still had no contact from Lorna or John Bush,” he told Daybreak.

“We are doing both covert and overt work to track these people.

“We would appeal to John if you are watching this bulletin, can you please make contact with police, and Lorna you are not in trouble, can you please make contact with the police?”

Bush has been described as a professional and accomplished fraudster and detectives searching for the teenager say they are not clear what his motives are for allegedly taking Lorna.

“John’s a family friend, I would probably suggest he has coerced her into going away with him,” Mr Robinson added.

“I don’t think she is in any immediate danger from John but obviously she is at some sort of risk in terms of being away from her family, being in the company of an older man who might manipulate her.

Her family has also appealed for Lorna to come home.

Her mother Christine, 36, wrote on Facebook yesterday: “my baby plz come home darling we love u so much”.

Alongside a picture of her daughter, she posted: “this is my gawgess lovin daughter if anyone as any idea were she could be would u plz contact me I just want her home safe thankyou”.

She said: “come home my baby girl iam so worried plz just ring me we all love u so much”.

Lorna was seen at 2.30pm on Monday at Outwood Academy in Adwick wearing her school uniform. She was spotted again on Wednesday morning, officers said.

Police said Bush was believed to be pretending Lorna was his daughter “as a guise” to avoid suspicion.

The force helicopter was scrambled on Wednesday to help with the search and police are trying to trace the vehicle Bush was in - a silver Ford Mondeo.

Bush was described as a “professional fraudster” by a judge who gave him a 14-month prison sentence suspended for two years earlier this year on condition that he does 200 hours of unpaid work.

York Crown Court heard how he committed a range of frauds including persuading garages to give him courtesy cars he never returned and using a holiday cottage without paying.