Police have released a new CCTV image of Tia Sharp in a bid to trace the 12 year old who went missing on Friday.

At a press conference at New Scotland Yard this evening Tia's uncle and two close friends of the family appeared wearing T-shirts picturing the missing school girl and appealed for the publics help in finding her and for Tia to come home.

The picture was taken outside the Co-op on Featherbed Lane, New Addington, on Thursday August 2, the day BEFORE she went missing.

Investigating officer DCI Nick Scola said there had been 55 unsubstantiated sightings of Tia since she went missing from her grandmothers house in New Addington in Croydon.

On the day she went missing Tia was wearing similar clothing to those in the CCTV still – but was wearing a yellow tube top instead of a vest and Nike trainers instead of Ugg boots.

Her uncle, David Sharp, 28, said: "First of all we want to give Tia a message. I just want you to come home. You are not in trouble. Anyone that knows where she is or has information please come to us. Please phone the police.

I want to say thank you to the police for doing everything that they can and the public for being our support and being out there day and night.

I urge you not stop."

He added: "Tia is a 12 year old normal girl. She has never run away. She's got no reason to run away."

"She's not an adult but she's very clued up on local areas and travelling and people she knows."

 

DCI Scola added: ""We have had a good response from our appeals so far.
We have had 55 sightings of Tia.
"They are being investigated but as yet we cannot substantiate any of them.
"Searches are continuing in the area and extensive CCTV viewing continues."

He added: "At this stage it's a relatively simple timeline.
"We know she was at her grandmothers address. She slept late and then left to get the bus.
"We have one neighbour who has possibly seen her walk to the bus stop.
But that's not substantiated."

At the conference DCI Scola confirmed that they had not found anything belonging to the school girl.

Anyone who has seen Tia or knows of her whereabouts should call Merton Police on 101 (quoting reference 12MIS025216); or Missing People on 116 000