A NIGHTCLUBBER sparked a major police search after disappearing during a night out with friends before ending the alert with a phone call to her father.

Police trawled through CCTV footage and appealed to taxi drivers for information after Gemma Wrighton became separated from a group of friends while out in Blackburn to celebrate a pal's birthday.

Gemma, 22, left the Utopia nightclub before her friends, in the early hours of Sunday, and sparked a search when she was not heard of for two days.

A team of officers was set up by Detective Chief Inspector Steve Hartley at Blackburn police station to co-ordinate the search for Gemma.

Dad Colin, of Mitchell Street, Clitheroe, said his daughter often stayed away from home for days at a time but was always in contact with him or her close friends.

And life-long friend Kelly Barnes, one of the girls out with her on Saturday night, said she had never gone a day without speaking to her.

After an appeal through the Lancashire Evening Telegraph. former Ribblesdale High School pupil Gemma, who looks after her friend's children part time and also works at the Rose and Crown pub, Clitheroe, contacted her dad yesterday afternoon and apologised for the worry.

She said she had been at the home of a male friend.

Colin, an HGV driver, said today: "It's such a relief. There was a message on the phone when I got home saying she had seen the appeal in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph and apologised for the fuss."

Kelly, also 22 and who has known Gemma since they were pupils at St James Primary School, in Greenacre Street, Clitheroe, said the disappearance had worried her and her friends.

Before Gemma got in touch, Kelly, who works at Cafe Fresco, in Clitheroe town centre, said: "We are all feeling dreadful. I just feel sick thinking about it.

"We are best friends and not a day goes by when we don't see each other or at least talk to each other. I am so worried."

Gemma had become separated from her friends when she left the nightclub with a male friend. She was seen getting into a black cab at around 2am.

Police today said they were pleased Gemma was back with her family.