Missing couple's car discovered

The couple have not been in touch with their two young children

An abandoned car is being examined by police looking for a couple who went missing from their home a week ago, leaving two children with babysitters.

Police found Farik Farukh's car on the A14 near Trimley St Martin in Suffolk.

Inga Losiene, who is 32 and Lithuanian, and partner Mr Farukh, a Kurdish Iraqi who is also 32, share a house in York Road in Southend, Essex.

The couple have not been in touch with Ms Losiene's children, a girl aged 11 and boy aged six, since last weekend.

The children are being looked after by family members.

We are treating them as missing and there is nothing to suggest anything sinister, but we can't rule anything out Essex Police spokesman

Detectives say Mr Farukh drove to Suffolk with the two children on Friday, but think the car broke down on Saturday and they returned to Essex by train.

A couple from Suffolk came forward on Friday to say they believe they gave a man fitting Mr Farukh's description, and two young children, a lift to Felixstowe railway station.

Inga Losiene was last seen shopping in Southend on Friday 27 May and Mr Farukh was last seen on Sunday at the seafront pub in Southend where he worked.

An Essex Police spokesman said: "We are treating them as missing and there is nothing to suggest anything sinister, but we can't rule anything out."