Girl, 14, on run with boyfriend

Amanda McDonnell is "besotted" with her 17-year-old boyfriend

A 14-year-old British girl could be in the UK after running away from her Spanish home with her boyfriend.

An international search is under way for Amanda McDonnell and 17-year-old Steven Laing, who vanished from Amanda's home in Alicante, southern Spain, last week.

Amanda's mother, Carol Beech, says she is desperately concerned as her daughter is in poor health.

"I am worried for Amanda because she's anorexic and she is also bulimic, for which she has psychiatric help, and she is also asthmatic," she said.

"I am just praying she is all right and trying to get across to her that although what she has done is wrong, we still love her and want her back and she can come home."

Mrs Beech, 43, told GMTV on Wednesday: "They took the family car, they took the money and they took the credit cards.

"I am afraid that Amanda will be afraid to come back, that she feels so bad within herself that she might be frightened to come back."

"The reason they have done it is because they wanted to be together.

"They are just besotted with each other."

I am worried for Amanda because she's anorexic and she is also bulimic, for which she has psychiatric help, and she is also asthmatic Amanda's mother Carol

Amanda moved from Wolverhampton in the West Midlands to Alicante with her family last year.

She met Steven four or five months ago at a bar in which Steven, from Glasgow, was working at Alfaz Del Pi, between Altea and Benidorm.

Mrs Beech said Steven had been staying with her family for the past few weeks but added that the arrangement was only temporary.

She said a friend of Amanda's had told her that the pair had planned to run away together if Steven was not allowed to stay and were believed to be heading to London to find work.

Steven met Amanda in a bar where he was working

The two are believed to have left Alicante in a Belgian-registered grey Opal Omega estate car, registration number LGY 934.

They are thought to have false passports showing they are 18, and Mrs Beech suspected they have taken a ferry to Britain.

She said she blamed Steven for the disappearance.

"I just feel angry. I felt he was responsible enough until he went and took the car, we don't think he's got a licence. That's not the actions of a responsible adult," she said.

Possessions gone

"She is so besotted with him. She is easily influenced and I think that is why she has run away with him."

Mrs Beech and her husband Malcolm have alerted Spanish police, as well as forces in Kent, Fife, Hampshire and Devon and Cornwall.

"We concentrated on those police forces which have ferry ports. But they could be anywhere," she said.

Steven's mother, Susan Laing, told BBC Radio Scotland she wants him to contact the police. She said:

"Oh Steven, just screw the nut son and grow up and stop doing this and just go to the police and hand yourself in before it gets any worse than it already is.

"We're all worried about you and just sort it and come home or whatever."

Mrs Laing has said friends of Amanda have told her that Amanda is pregnant but she does not know if this is true or not.

She also said Steven has his own passport and does not see why he would have to forge one.

He does not have a driving licence and she says he is "a good driver" and has been in trouble before because "he loves driving cars and doesn't care about the consequences".

Hampshire Police are coordinating the search for the couple in the UK.

A spokeswoman said Amanda had taken most of her possessions with her when she left.

"Amanda virtually emptied her wardrobe when she left, taking all her shoes and even a duvet, pillows and an inflatable bed," she said.

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE COUPLE Amanda: 5 ft 7 in tall, slim, blue rose tattoo on abdomen, sharp features, fair complexion and fair hair Steven: 5 ft 7 in tall, uneven complexion, short brown hair, name tattooed down his spine in Chinese or Japanese; Glaswegian accent Anyone seeing them is asked to contact their local police or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

It is thought she is carrying several sports bags, as well as a medium-sized beige canvas handbag with a floral pattern.

Amanda, who was born in Stoke on Trent, is described as having sharp features, a fair complexion and fair hair.

She is 5 ft 7 ins tall and slim, with a blue rose tattoo on her abdomen.

Steven has an uneven complexion, short brown hair, is 5 ft 7 ins tall and has his name tattooed down his spine in Chinese or Japanese.

He speaks with a Glaswegian accent.