Missing woman inquiry stepped up

Miss Nicholl has never gone missing before, police say

Police searching for a missing North Yorkshire teenager have stepped up their inquiry by drafting in more officers as fears grow for her safety.

Nineteen-year-old Jenny Nicholl vanished a week ago after leaving her parents' home in Richmond.

North Yorkshire Police say they are "extremely concerned" and 20 officers are now searching woods and fields.

They want to hear from anyone who has seen Miss Nicholl, a keen pool player, in local pubs in the last few days.

Favourite haunts

A dedicated incident room has been set up at Richmond police station to co-ordinate the search for the popular Co-op shop assistant.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "Miss Nicholl has many friends and also a wide circle of people who will know her as a keen pool player who takes part in competitions around the area."

Police said they had searched several areas of countryside around the market town that Miss Nicholl liked to visit.

They have also conducted house-to-house enquiries, including in the area of the Holly Hill pub on the outskirts of the town, where her white Rover 214 was found in the car park.

Miss Nicholl is 5ft 6in and thin. She has green eyes, a fresh complexion and fair shoulder-length hair. She usually wears her hair up in a high ponytail.

Last Thursday evening she went out wearing a pink sleeveless top, blue jeans with holes in the knees, a khaki duffle coat and black trainers.