Search For Missing Tia Enters Day Six

Nearly a week after 12-year-old girl Tia Sharp went missing, dozens of officers have joined the team that continues to search for her.

Tia has not been seen since last Friday when she disappeared after a visit to her grandmother's house in south London.

Police have interviewed her grandmother's boyfriend, Stuart Hazell, as a key witness. It is thought he may have been the last person to see the schoolgirl alive.

The 37-year-old was not arrested, and returned on Wednesday evening to his partner's home in New Addington, Croydon.

Metropolitan Police area commander Neil Basu stressed the investigation remained a missing persons inquiry with no suspects, adding: "I am looking to find Tia safe and well."

He said some officers who had been helping staff the Olympics were now part of the search team, which involves 40 detectives and 40 specialist search officers.

"The family want Tia home, they miss her dreadfully," Mr Basu said.

Tia seemingly vanished without a trace six days ago after telling relatives she was going to the Whitgift Centre in Croydon.

Police revealed on Wednesday that a member of the public had reported seeing Tia leaving the home where her grandmother Christine Sharp, 46, lives with Mr Hazell at midday on Friday.

The witness told detectives Tia was alone when she left the house, but it was unclear where she was going.

An earlier trawl through hours of CCTV footage found no trace of Tia, who has never gone missing before.

Hundreds of posters appealing for information have been distributed around New Addington and Tia's face looks out from most local shops and noticeboards.