Hunt For British Woman Missing In Australia

Police are trying to trace a school cleaner from Derbyshire who has gone missing while travelling in Australia.

Anne Collinson, 62, left her home in Repton more than a month ago but has made no contact with friends or family in the UK since.

Derbyshire police believe Miss Collinson travelled to Australia on 8 February and is in the Alice Springs area.

A neighbour, Zoe Storey, was asked by Miss Collinson to look after her cat.

She told the Derby Telegraph: "Anne told me she was going down south for a few days on February 8. I assumed it was because it was half term as she works as a cleaner at Repton School.

"She put a note through my door and I got the cat's feeding instructions which Anne had left inside the house.

"The following day one of her work colleagues came to the house to say she had not been to work and wondered if she was OK. I told them she had gone away for a holiday for a few days but they said she had no holiday booked.

"On the Friday I went to a school play in the village with my children, and I told one of the other parents I was worried about Anne and as he is a policeman he told me to report it which I did."

A Facebook appeal for information has so far attracted more than 1,700 shares,

PC Tony Wilson, missing persons officer in Derby, said: "This is very out of character for Miss Collinson.

"Facebook is always a very powerful medium when searching for missing people. I would ask anyone that has friends or family in Australia to share the appeal."

Miss Collinson is described as white, slimly built with blonde shoulder-length, wavy hair, and she wears glasses.

Police have appealed for anyone on holiday in the Alice Springs area of Australia, or knows anyone that lives there and sees Miss Collinson, to contact Derbyshire police on +441773 730215, or the Australian Northern Territory police on 131 444.

Source: http://news.sky.com/ by: By Sky News Photo: Sky News