Appeal For Help To Find Missing Swindon Woman - Sky News

4:25pm UK, Monday March 21, 2011

The boyfriend of a missing 22-year-old woman has made a tearful appeal for information about her as police search a Wiltshire forest where her phone was traced to.

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Sian O'Callaghan has not been seen since the early hours of Saturday morning, when she left a Swindon club alone.

She had spent the night out with friends in the city's Old Town area but after leaving the Japanese-themed Suju club at 2.50am, she failed to return home.

Her boyfriend Kevin Reape was not out with them and raised the alarm later on Saturday morning after waiting for her all night.

Miss O'Callaghan's family and friends have not heard from her, which police said was "not only unusual for her, but is something that she has never done before".

Chief Inspector Mike Jones of Wiltshire Police said: "Sian doesn't appear to have any reason in her personal life that would indicate that she might want to leave the area.

Sian O'Callaghan went out on Friday night with friends to the Suju club in Swindon

"She is normally an avid Facebook user, but has not used her account since earlier in the day on Friday."

Fighting back tears, Mr Reape told a media conference: "I just want to say how worried we are about Sian.

"Someone out there must know where she is. This is a terrible time for all of us and we are hoping for her safe return."

Officers have been combing the 4,500-acre Savernake Forest for any clues to her whereabouts.

For Sian not to return home after a night out and not make any contact with friends or family is not only unusual for her, but is something that she has never done before.

Chief Inspector Mike Jones of Wiltshire Police

Wiltshire Police said Miss O'Callaghan's phone was in the forest at 3.24am on Saturday morning.

The forest is near Marlborough, 12 miles from Swindon, and is privately owned by the Earl of Cardigan and his family.

Chief Insp Jones urged anyone with information to come forward and contact police.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to appeal directly to Sian and ask her to make contact with her family or police to let us know that she is okay," he added.

Police would like to speak to those who may have knowledge of people or vehicles moving around Old Town between 3.15-4am on Saturday.

Wiltshire Police have been searching the Savernake Forest

Miss O'Callaghan is white, 5ft 3in tall, of medium build, with brown hair cut in an asymmetric style and green eyes.

She was wearing a grey dress, black bolero-style jacket, dark tights and flat boots when she was last seen, and was carrying a dark handbag with a beige flower attached.

Wiltshire Police confirmed Miss O'Callaghan was assaulted in the toilets of the same nightclub in October 2008, when another woman punched her.

However, a force spokeswoman said that incident was "not a focus of the investigation at the moment".

:: Anyone with information can contact Wiltshire Police on 0845 408 7000 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.