Mother's delight after daughter found

A MOTHER spoke of her delight last night after her 16-year-old daughter, missing since Monday, turned up safe and well.Sharon and Christopher Paterson, of Lowestoft, received a call from police to say that Samantha had been found in Hertfordshire.

A MOTHER spoke of her delight last night after her 16-year-old daughter, missing since Monday, turned up safe and well.

Sharon and Christopher Paterson, of Lowestoft, received a call from police to say that Samantha had been found in Hertfordshire.

Earlier in the day, police had made an appeal for information about the disappearance of the Lowestoft College student, saying concern was growing for her welfare.

The asthma sufferer had not been in contact with her family since she left home, in the Blyford Road area, on Monday morning.

Last night, Mrs Paterson, 37, said: 'She is alive and well in Hertfordshire. I'm just elated that she's coming home. When I found out, I started crying and nearly passed out.'

Speaking before the news that Samantha had been found, Mrs Paterson had made a heartfelt plea for her daughter, to come home.

She said: 'I feel as if my heart has been torn out. I would ask her to just come home - she is not in any trouble.'

The alarm had been raised after former Benjamin Britten High School pupil Samantha did not return home from college, where she is studying childcare.

Mrs Paterson added: 'I phoned her and she didn't answer at all. We kept ringing her and then her phone just went off. I thought she had gone to Norwich with her mates. When she didn't come home, we panicked and called the police.'

Inquiries into Samantha's disappearance are continuing.