The family of a BBC make-up artist has made a desperate plea for information after she went missing while on a trip to London a week ago.

Diane Chenery-Wickens said goodbye to her husband David at Kensington Olympia train station seven days ago and has not been seen since.

The 48-year-old, who has won an Emmy and been nominated for a BAFTA for her work, told Mr Chenery-Wickens she planned to travel to the BBC offices in Shepherds Bush before going to a hairdresser.

He had planned to meet her at Bloww in Regent Place after her appointment.

But when Mr Chenery-Wickens, from Duddleswell in Crowborough, got to the salon he was told by staff that they had not seen his wife.

He tried to call her mobile phone but it went straight to voicemail.

Mr Chenery-Wickens then frantically called her friends and work colleagues but nobody had heard from her.

He contacted the Metropolitan Police who began an investigation immediately and advised he went home and notified Sussex Police about her disappearance..

Eventually he caught the train home alone in the hope she had left the capital early.

He contacted police that evening.

Mrs Chenery-Wickens' brother Russell Wickens, 50, described the disappearance as 'extremely worrying' and 'highly uncharacteristic' of someone who always kept in touch with her family.

He said his sister has never gone missing before.

He said: "It's completely out of character. She's the kind of person who never misses appointments and always lets people know where she is. We're sick with worry.

"Because she freelances it's difficult to know who she might have arranged a meeting with. Often they are informal meetings."

Mr Chenery-Wickens was too distressed to talk to The Argus today.

Detective Inspector Phil Mays, from Sussex Police's major crime branch, is leading the search for Mrs Chenery-Wickens.

He said: "So far there have been no leads. We don't know for sure if she was in the BBC building earlier on in the day. All we know is she definitely didn't arrive for the hair appointment.

"We are looking at CCTV and trying to trace phone calls."

Mrs Chenery-Wickens has been a make-up artist for the BBC for more than 12 years and has worked on hit TV shows including Dead Ringers and The League of Gentlemen.

In 2000 she won an Emmy for her work on Arabian Nights and two years ago she was nominated for a BAFTA.

The couple had travelled to London on the 11.07am train from East Grinstead to Clapham Junction last Thursday.

They then caught a train to Kensington Olympia and parted ways at around 12.30pm.

She has no history of mental illness. The couple have no children and Mrs Chenery-Wickens' sister and mother live near to where she lives.

On the day she went missing she was wearing brown boots, a brown suede jacket, blue jeans and a black scarf.

If you have any information about Mrs Chenery-Wickens' disappearance call Sussex Police on 0845 6070999.

Do you know Mrs Chenery-Wickens? Call The Argus newsdesk on 01273 544512, email news@theargus.co.uk or leave your comments below.