THE mother of a teenage girl missing for almost three weeks today revealed she feared for her daughter's life.

Kirsty Haslam, 15, disappeared from her home in Mansfield Crescent, Nelson, on February 1 at 3.30pm.

Her mother Lorraine, 39, a care worker, has appealed for her to call her family or contact police to let them know that she is safe, amid fears something could have happened to her.

Kirsty, 5ft 2ins, who has two sisters aged 18 and 20 and a 13-year-old brother, is a pupil at Mansfield High School.

Police have said they are concerned for Kirsty's welfare and would like anyone who has seen her to get in touch. They believe she could be somewhere in the Burnley or Greater Manchester areas.

Lorraine said: "I can hardly put into words how I feel at the moment.

"Kirsty has gone missing before but in the past people have called to let us know that she is safe and she has always come home.

"She has never been gone for this long without getting in touch and I'm beginning to fear we will just get a phone call to say her body has been found.

"Until this week I was tinking it would be ok and she would just turn up, but I'm getting really worried that something bad has happened to her.

"I just want her to call to tell us she is safe and I want her to be at home with us then we can talk about everything. Everyone just wants her to be ok.

"She is too young to be away from home like this on her own.

"It's very hard for all of us to be trying to carry on our lives. Kirsty's 13-year-old brother Alan in particular is not handling it very well.

"We all just want to know she is safe."

Anyone with information about Kirsty's whereabouts should call Burnley Police on 01282 425001.