Family, friends, and volunteers have taken part in a search for a missing 21-year-old woman along the Lowestoft coast.

The search for Sophie Smith took place today at 11.30am, near the war memorial, as the massive operation currently under way to locate the missing University of East Anglia (UEA) student continues.

Sophie went missing from a house in Avondale Road, Gorleston, in the middle of the night between Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

She left the house wearing just a vest and shorts, without her mobile phone.

Soon after she was reported missing a huge search involving the coastguard, police helicopter, police units, lifeboat crews and a specialist search team scoured the coast to try and find the young woman.

Sophie is a white 5ft 8in woman of a slim build with shoulder length blonde hair. She was wearing a dark-coloured vest top and light-coloured shorts.

Police have asked the public or anyone who may have information about her whereabouts, or anyone who might have seen her, to contact Norfolk Police on 101.