British tourist spots runaway pair in Paris (From The Argus)

British tourist spots runaway pair in Paris

7:49am Friday 28th September 2012 in News

A British tourist spotted missing schoolgirl Megan Stammers and her maths teacher walking through the streets of Paris last Sunday, The Sun newspaper has revealed.

Brigitte Ripley, 73, told a reporter that she informed British police after seeing the pair walking down the iconic Champs-Elysees.

The grandmother said that she was drawn to the youngster’s distinctive birdpatterned top as she owns one with a similar design.

The following day she bought a newspaper to find a picture of the missing teen wearing the same blouse as she had seen in the capital.

She told The Sun: “ I’m as sure as I can be it was Megan. She was in front of me, a youngish girl with long, dark hair. She seemed fine.

“They were just like anyone else walking around in Paris. They looked like tourists.

“I didn’t make the connection until I picked up the Daily Telegraph the next day.

“I had to say something. As soon as I told my husband he phoned the police.”

Megan Stammers, 15, and Jeremy Forrest, 30, have been missing since last Thursday.

The last confirmed sighting of the pair was on the Dover to Calais ferry at 9.30pm on Thursday.

But despite Brigitte’s call to Guildford police, she said she had yet to hear anything from officers.

She added: “They said they’d come back to me — but we never heard another word.”

Last night Surrey Police confirmed that intelligence had been received on  Monday (September 24) and was subsequently passed onto Sussex Police.

Officers have confirmed that there have been a number of “rumoured sightings” since last week.

A detective inspector has also now been sent to Paris to work with a team of officers in tracking the pair.

Anyone with information is asked to call Sussex Police on 101, quoting Operation Oakwood.

A dedicated telephone number and text number which can be used from abroad have been set up. They are 00 44 1273 475432 or text +447786 208090.