Police in appeal over missing girl from Keighley (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Officers urge Tammy Irving to get in touch

7:00am Tuesday 25th September 2012 in News By Steve Wright, Crime Reporter

A senior detective today urged a missing 13-year-old Bradford girl to get in touch and let people know she is safe.

Tamara Irving, known as Tammy, has not been seen since leaving a care home, where she had been staying for less than two weeks, last Friday.

The vulnerable schoolgirl was last seen at the home, in the Barnsley area of South Yorkshire, at 9.20pm on Friday, and is thought to have headed back to the Bradford district.

Tammy is originally from the Keighley area.

But Detective Inspector Sharon Hancock, of South Yorkshire Police, said: “She was deemed to be a vulnerable child while in the Bradford area. For that reason she has recently been moved to live in Barnsley.

“We are increasingly concerned for her safety. The fact that she is a 13-year-old child without parents or a guardian at this time raises her vulnerability. We have reason to believe she has returned to the Bradford area and we are concentrating our efforts there.”

She said the force had asked West Yorkshire Police colleagues to put Tammy’s details on social network sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Officers are also contacting friends and family, checking CCTV, and searching for the teenager.

Det Insp Hancock said: “We appeal to anyone who has seen Tammy, or know where she is, to contact her family, or West Yorkshire Police.

“If Tammy reads this, we would urge her to contact us. She is not in any trouble. All we want to do is bring her home safe and well. She can walk into any police station, or ring us.”

Tamara has been missing before but not for so long. She is about 5ft 2ins tall, slim, with long black hair, possibly in a ponytail.

Anyone with information is urged to contact West Yorkshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.