MYSTERY surrounds the whereabouts of a Pakistan soccer star who went missing from the squad and failed to turn up for an international soccer match at Bury's Gigg Lane.

The player - 19-year-old Nasir Iqbal - disappeared from outside the ground as teammates gathered for a press conference on Tuesday.

Today police confirmed they had been made aware of the player's disappearance and that representatives of the Pakistani national team were trying to trace him.

It is thought the player may have gone to visit relatives in Bury and the South-west of England and that team bosses are trying to find him.

Today a police spokesman said: "It is understood he went to see relatives in Bury and Bristol. The team is flying back to Pakistan next week and they're going to try to trace him.

"There's no cause for concern about him. If he has not been found before the team return to Pakistan then this will become a police matter."

The squad are on a two-match tour of Britain and, after losing 3-0 to Bury last night, play Premier League Coventry City on Saturday before returning home. It is the first time Pakistan have ever been to Europe.

Pakistan team manager Ali Nawaz and tour organisers Sapphire Enterprises denied that the player was trying to stop in Britain and insisted Iqbal was staying with relatives.

Bury chairman Terry Robinson confirmed he had been told of the missing squad member.

Mr Robinson said: "Their team arrived for a press conference and when they departed they were one short.

"There are all sorts of rumours about him being seen running up Market Street but we don't know if there is any truth in that.".

Paul Perry, who was closely involved with bringing the Pakistan team to Gigg Lane, was the last person to see the missing player.

"He arrived at the club for a press conference with the rest of the team and asked to go to the toilet," said Mr Perry, a former Bolton councillor.

"Then he walked straight out of the entrance. I told him he was going the wrong way but he carried on and I believe someone picked him up in a car and they drove off."

Phil Kennedy, from Sapphire Enterprises, who arranged the tour, said the player was simply injured and was at a relative's house.