TEENAGE cousins are home safe and well after a week on the streets, thanks to an emotional appeal by one girl's father.

Czechoslovakians Linda and Theresa Tulejova, both aged 14, went missing from Linda's Firs Lane home in Leigh. A call to police, following a public appeal by Linda's father Dusian, led to the pair being found in Wigan town centre almost a week later.

Now happily back with her family, Linda explained that they ran away because they saw some papers belonging to her parents, who are in the process of seeking asylum, and thought they would have to return to their home town of Nrvecen in the Czech Republic.

Speaking in broken English Linda said: "I was scared of going back to my country, it's an awful place. People broke our windows, my teachers used to hit me and my younger sister Maria was hurt badly in a fight and ended up in a coma in hospital. I do not want to go back there."

Linda moved to Leigh with her father, Dusian, mother, Irena and five younger brothers and sisters three months ago. Her cousin Theresa has lived in West Street, Higher Ince for 16 months.

Linda left home with only the clothes on her back and £25. Along with Theresa, she spent the week travelling between Bolton, Manchester and Wigan. They slept on the streets and in parks and were forced to rummage through bins in search of food.

"One boy in Manchester stole my cousin's beautiful rings and also took all our money. We wanted to come home then, but didn't have any money to get back."

It was only after seeing her father's emotional appeal in a shop window television that the girls realised how serious their situation was and made the decision to return.

"I saw my dad crying on TV and wanted to be back at home with my family. We were cold, hungry and scared. No one helped us because everyone scared me."

Mr Tulejova said: "We are so happy they are home. I know Linda was scared of returning to our home country, it is a very racist place where our family wasn't allowed to eat in restaurants, go to the cinema or the shops. But she loves her family too much to stay away."