POLICE have appealed for help in the hunt for a 12-year-old girl who has been missing from home since January 14.

They said they have grave concerns for the welfare of Deeon Frost who has been missing from her home address in Hornbeam Road, Gorton.

Deeon, originally from Mitchum, Surrey, had been living in Manchester for one month with her grandmother where she had started to attend St Peter's School, Holmcroft Road, Gorton.

Deeon attended this school prior to the Christmas holidays but failed to return when the new term started on January 7 yet she was leaving her grandmother's house dressed for school each morning and returning after 3.20pm everyday.

On the day Deeon went missing she was wearing black shoes, black tights and a knee-length black overcoat with her medium length hair in bobbles.

Deeon is described as being of large build and very tall for her age at 5ft, giving the impression that she is about 15-16.

Greater Manchester Police are not ruling out the fact that Deeon may still be in the Manchester area but they also believe that she may have returned to the south and are concentrating on the Clapham, Anerley, East Dulwich

and Wimbledon areas.

DS Mark Ryder said: "Deeon's mother is distraught with her daughter's disappearance and would like Deeon to contact her to let her know that she is safe."

Anyone who may have any information on the whereabouts of Deeon is asked to call, in confidence, Longsight CID on 0161 856 4246 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.