AN angry father has criticised police for not doing enough to find his schoolgirl daughter after she went missing for four days.

Gemma Bond, 14, of Grafton Street in Clitheroe was found by her father John last night after he went to search the fairground in Preston where she was rumoured to be staying.

The Ribblesdale High School pupil went missing after leaving home on Saturday morning to visit a friend but police searches of the fair had earlier drawn a blank.

Her father finally tracked down his daughter as the fair was preparing to leave its temporary site near Preston North End's Deepdale football ground.

John said: "The police can't have looked very hard. I found her within 10 minutes and brought her straight home. It's ridiculous."

Gemma's mum Linda said she was relieved that her daughter was back home and "safe and sound".

"It appears she had been with a much older girl who wouldn't let her return home. I would like to warn other mothers to watch very carefully who their children are going around with. She had really fallen in with a bad crowd.

"We are just so relieved to have her back and she is happy to be back, too. It's unbelievable what I have been through. I wouldn't want any other parent to go through it," she said.

Mrs Bond said there had been a "strong response" to an appeal in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph for information regarding Gemma's whereabouts.

Family and friends had rallied around with messages of support for the family.

"We are very grateful for the newspaper appeal and for all the help and support we have had," she said.

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