POLICE today confirmed they are in constant touch with the family of missing Calderstones patient Andrew Sutcliffe in a bid to trace him.

The 18-year-old went missing from the Burnage area of Manchester two weeks ago today while on a home visit to his mother's house. Andrew gave the female member of staff who accompanied him the slip after he told her he was going to the toilet.

Greater Manchester Police are dealing with the inquiry -- as he went missing in their area -- and are keeping Lancashire Police informed.

Inspector Bob Ford, of Clitheroe Police, said: "GMP are making phone calls to his mother and other members of his family such as aunties every day. We believe he is in the Burnage area and confident he will turn up."

If Andrew is found in the Lancashire area, police records will show him as a 'missing person' and he will be returned to Calderstones straight away.

Calderstones NHS Trust chief executive Russ Pearce said he too was in daily touch with the family adding the situation "remained the same" since his disappearance.

He said: "It is with the police and they are carrying out their investigations. I am sure they are doing the best they can to bring him back." He stressed Andrew was not a danger to the public.

Andrew, who was admitted to the hospital via the courts and is a resident on the more secure West Drive unit at the hospital, is the seventh patient to abscond from the hospital in the past 18 months.

Calderstones refuse to say why Andrew appeared in court because of 'patient confidentiality'.

He was said by police to be wearing a white T-shirt, blue tracksuit bottoms and a white baseball cap.