Concerns are growing for the welfare of a vulnerable 15-year-old boy missing in London for nearly 36 hours.
Benjamin Moorcroft, from Shrewsbury, was last seen by his family at around 8pm on Saturday in the Floral Street area of Covent Garden.
The teenager, who suffers from epilepsy, has a mental age of between five and 10 years old, making him “particularly vulnerable”, police said.
Benjamin had been staying in the Blackfriars area of capital and had been at a restaurant with his family when he vanished.
Metropolitan Police detective inspector William Hodgkinson said the teenager’s disappearance was “very out of character”.
He said: “He is alone in London, a place unfamiliar to him, and particularly vulnerable due to his epilepsy. Benjamin’s family and my officers are concerned for his wellbeing. Efforts to locate him are ongoing, but we need the public’s help.
“We would urge anyone who believes they may have seen Benjamin in central London or further afield since his disappearance on Saturday night to get in touch as soon as possible.”
The force said Benjamin was spotted on CCTV walking along The Strand near the Savoy Hotel just after 4.35am on Sunday.
The teenager is described as white, around 5ft 7in tall, and of slim build with light brown hair and he was wearing a light pink jumper, a red shirt, blue jeans and trainers.
Anyone with information on Benjamin’s whereabouts is urged to call police on 0207 321 7760 or 101, quoting 17MIS046199. Alternatively, they can call Missing People on 116000.