Kidnap arrest in missing Telford teenager hunt

A man was arrested in Glasgow this morming on suspicion of kidnap following the disappearance of 17-year-old Georgia Williams, of Wellington.

Superintendent Nav Malik, head of Telford police, said: "We are urgently trying to trying to find Georgia.

"She was last seen by her parents wearing a black leather jacket, skinny black jeans and white T-shirt.

"She has never gone missing before, it is totally out of character. Her parents are devastated and we are gravely concerned."

He also stressed that the arrested man was not Georgia's boyfriend but she was friends with him.

He added: "Georgia, if you are listening to us you are not in trouble. Please contact the police or your parents. We are extremely concerned and want to make sure you are safe and well."

He said: "She is a very nice girl. A former head girl from a local college. She is very bright and had a bright future ahead of her. We are afraid she may have come to harm."

Superintendent Malik added: "She had her first driving lesson due and she was supposed to meet her boyfriend for a concert, and she has missed both of them."

She was reported missing yesterday after she failed to return home as expected.

Police are searching a budget hotel and a car park in Glasgow as part of the hunt for Georgia.

Georgia, who is part of the match day staff at AFC Telford United, left her home at 7.30pm on Sunday and has not been seen by her family since. She told her family she was going to stay overnight with friends.

Police believe that Georgia may have been travelling with a 22-year-old man from the Wellington area.

He was arrested this morning in Glasgow, on suspicion of kidnap.

A Facebook group, Help Us Find Georgia Williams, has been set up to encourage people to come forward with information about her whereabouts. The page gained nearly 500 users within the first hour of being created.

Shortly before she went missing, on Sunday morning, Georgia sent out a message on social networking site Twitter which said: "Worst nights sleep in ages. Need sleep. Stuff on my mind. Now can't get back to sleep." Superintendent Malik said police were aware of the tweet, which suggested Georgia was anxious.

Georgia is described as white, 5ft 3in tall of slim build and she has red hair.

Friends have been posting messages on Georgia's Facebook profile since she went missing and have even designed a poster which many have put on their own profiles to show support.

Her disappearance has also sparked an outpouring on Twitter, with hundreds of people sharing her photo.

Sharon Bowyer, from AFC Telford, said: "We want to encourage Georgia or anyone who knows anything to get in contact with the police."

Supt Nav Malik, from West Mercia Police, said: "I am concerned for Georgia's welfare and am asking for the public's help to try and locate her. We believe that Georgia may have been travelling with a man since she left her home on Sunday. A police operation has led to the arrest of a man in Glasgow but we have so far not been able to locate Georgia.

"We are keen to hear from anyone who has seen Georgia since Sunday afternoon, or has any information about her whereabouts or movements over the past few days.

"I also want to know about the movements of a silver Toyota Hiace 300 GS van, registration number CX06 ASV, which we know the arrested man was driving. We know that this vehicle travelled from Wellington to Oswestry, Shropshire, before travelling to Rhyl, Chester, Cumbria and then onto Glasgow."

Anyone with any information can contact police on 101 or 0300 333 3000.