Grandparents' plea to runaway girl

Amanda's grandparents urged her to make contact

The grandmother of runaway schoolgirl Amanda McDonnell has pleaded with the 14-year-old to return home soon.

Cathie Mutch, from Livingston, West Lothian, urged Amanda to get in touch with the family and reassured her that she will not be in any trouble.

An international search was launched after the teenager ran away from her home in southern Spain with her 17-year-old Scottish boyfriend Steven Laing.

The pair vanished from Alicante last Friday after Amanda left a note apologising for taking the family car and some money.

In a direct appeal to her granddaughter, Mrs Mutch said she was desperate for Amanda to get in touch.

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.

"You're not going to get a row as long as you come home sweetheart, soon," she said.

Amanda moved from the West Midlands to Spain with her family last year.

She met Steven, from Glasgow, four or five months ago at a bar in which he was working.

"She sounded quite unhappy sometimes when you phoned, but the last time we spoke to her she seemed to have settled down," said Mrs Mutch.

"She was looking forward to coming to see us this October for a holiday."

Amanda's mother, Carol Beech, has also said she is concerned about her daughter's poor health.

The 14-year-old is anorexic and asthmatic but has left her inhaler behind.

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

Ferry ports

"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.

"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," she said.