The sudden disappearance of a young Slovakian woman who came to Bradford to make a fresh start has sparked fears about her safety.

Zlatica Badzova, 20, vanished within hours of arriving in the city and has not been seen for more than six weeks.

Zlatica, who barely speaks English, came to stay with an old school friend in West Bowling, but disappeared less than two days later.

She left behind her clothes, has no access to money and knows no-one else in the city.

Police are making international inquiries into the background of Zlatica, who had been in Britain for around 18 months and living with her boyfriend in London.

But she had been unhappy about the relationship and decided to move to Bradford, where she was planning to stay with her female friend from the Czech Republic.

She arrived by train in Bradford at 6pm on Thursday, November 22, and went to stay with her friend in Ransdale Road.

But she vanished from that address at 9.45am on Saturday, November 24, after her friend went out and returned to find her gone.

PC Jan Ross, missing persons co-ordinator for Bradford South Police, said: "We are concerned as to where she has gone. If she was wandering around lost she would have come to police attention by now.

"She doesn't know Bradford, or anyone else in Bradford. She has no physical means of support and no money to speak of to put a roof over her head and food in her belly.

"It is possible someone has taken her in out of the kindness of their heart and is supporting her, or she may have gone back to London or even Slovakia. The other alternatives are not palatable, but have to be considered."

Zlatica had talked of getting a cleaning job in Bradford but had not worked while in London and is thought to have been supported by her Latvian boyfriend, who police have been unable to trace.

Zlatica is white, of Eastern European origin but of Asian appearance, 4ft 11ins tall, of medium build, with very long black hair in a ponytail.

PC Ross appealed to anyone who knows Zlatica, particularly in the Eastern European community, to come forward, or the missing woman herself.

She said: "She is not in any trouble. We just want to make sure she is safe and well."

Anyone with information should contact PC Ross on (01274) 376404.