The close friend of missing student Gavin Terry has said he will not give up hope that he will be found alive despite police fears that he has drowned.

Fabio Tozzi, who went to St Bede's Catholic Grammar in Highgate, Heaton, with Mr Terry, 19, said while he and his family will not give up the search, it is becoming increasingly hard not to face reality'.

Mr Terry, of Baildon, was last seen in the Revolution nightclub in Call Lane, Leeds.

He is believed to have left there sometime between midnight and 1am on Saturday, January 12, but he has not been seen or heard from since.

West Yorkshire Police said investigating officers increasingly fear that the Leeds Metropolitan University student fell into the River Aire, which was in flood at the time. And they have now appealed for anyone who may have found personal items belonging to Mr Terry while walking near the river to contact them.

Mr Tozzi said: "It is something we don't want to hear, but at the end of the day it could be the truth.

"We are not giving up hope though.

"It is hard to hear he probably has gone into the river, but in the other sense it's probably what has happened from what police have said.

"We won't stop looking though until we know something for certain."

Detective Superintendent Paul Taylor, who is leading the inquiry, said: "We are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have found items such as a wallet or a credit card bearing Gavin's name.

"People do go walking in the area and we would like to hear from anyone who may have found anything bearing Gavin's name or anything that they believe may specifically belong to him."

More than 31,000 people have now joined a Facebook website created to lend support and give information on Mr Terry's disappearance. Anyone with information can call police on 0845 6060606.