The distraught mum of a 12-year-old girl, who has gone missing with her young friend, today pleaded with her to come home so they could decorate the Christmas tree together.

Sinead Howard and Chantelle Chevolleau, also 12, have not been seen since 8pm on Tuesday night after they left Sinead's home to play together outside.

Sinead's mother, Noeleen Duffy, 41, told how she gave her "vulnerable" daughter a kiss and a pound to buy some pop before she left their home in Southfield Avenue, Odsal, in high spirits.

But when she did not return, Mrs Duffy spent two hours with Chantelle's mother, Karen, searching for their daughters. When there was no sign of them they alerted police.

A tearful Mrs Duffy said: "If Sinead reads this, I just want her to come home. You are not in any trouble. Just come home, please. I want us to put the tree up and do the Christmas shopping together."

She said Sinead, who lives with her mother and elder brothers Glenn, 24, and Kevin, 20, had been her normal bubbly self when she left home.

"She asked me if it was all right to go out to play with Chantelle and I told her not to go too far because the nights were getting dark. I gave her a pound because she wanted some pop and she gave me a kiss and said 'I won't be late, mum.' I haven't seen her since and it is tearing me apart."

Mrs Duffy said her daughter, a pupil at St Joseph's College, Manningham, had stayed out overnight without permission once before but had come home at 8am the next day and it was out of character for her to just disappear.

"She is a jolly, outgoing person with a good sense of humour, but she is very vulnerable. She looks about 16 but she is young for her age and is easily-led.

"Sinead loves Christmas and she couldn't wait to put up the tree. We were also going to go Christmas shopping together tonight."

Mrs Duffy said the family dubbed Sinead 'The Drama Queen,' because she was always singing and dancing karaoke-style in front of her bedroom mirror and she never had her hairbrush out of her hand.

Chantelle lives with her mother, Karen, and younger sisters, Naomi, ten, and seven year-old Rhiannon, just round the corner from her friend, in Wickham Avenue.

Mrs Chevolleau said: "She was fine when she left. She has been a bit moody recently but normally she's a happy girl and she is doing well at her school, Buttershaw High.

"I am very concerned for her, it is not like Chantelle. She has never been missing before.

"All I want is to see her and know she is safe. If anyone is with her I just appeal to them to bring her home. If she walked through the door now I would just give her a big cuddle."

PC Richard Armstead, of Odsal Police, said the girls had last been seen at 8pm on Tuesday, an hour after they left Sinead's house, near a Jet filling station in St Helena Road, Wibsey, half a mile from their homes.

He said: "It is possible they have gone off in a vehicle with some Asian lads and we are checking the filling station's CCTV cameras for any sightings of the girls or a vehicle.

"We do not believe there is any element of foul play but we are concerned about the girls' vulnerability. I would ask them to make contact with us, or someone they trust, to let their families know they are safe and well."

Sinead is 5ft 8ins, of large build, with a rosy complexion and short bobbed brown hair. She was wearing a short black coat with fur collar, light blue jeans, a navy blue polo neck top and gold rings.

Chantelle is only 5ft tall, slim, with dark brown hair usually in a ponytail and has a pale complexion. She was wearing a green Parka jacket.

Anyone with information about their whereabouts is asked to contact the Help Desk at Bradford Central Police station on (01274) 376459.