A missing teenager has contacted a friend to say she is safe.

Shereen Patten, 15, vanished from her home in Whitehawk, Brighton, at the weekend.

Yesterday (wed) Sussex Police appealed in The Argus for Shereen to get in touch to confirm if she is all right.

After they made the appeal, officers heard that Shereen had phoned a friend but had not revealed her whereabouts.

Detective Inspector Carwyn Hughes said: "In as much as we have not found her, in term of risk associated with her, she has made contact and it seems she has voluntarily left.

"We haven't found her but she is making phone calls expressing the fact she is okay."

Shereen is believed still to be in the local area.

She moved to Brighton six months ago from Haywards Heath. She previously lived in London.