The family of a missing 14-year-old today made an emotional appeal for him to come home.

Umbar Saddique has not been seen for almost three days after leaving his home in the middle of the night with a rucksack and only £5.

His distraught mother Naseem Akhtar said: "If anyone knows where he is, I plead with them to contact the police so we can bring him home.

"If Umbar is reading this, please come home, or at least contact us so we know you are safe."

The Nab Wood Grammar School pupil has never been missing before and does not know his way around the city.

His older brother Sajid, 25, has been searching for him since the early hours of Sunday.

He said: "Umbar went to bed as normal on Sunday evening. He shares a bedroom with his sisters Safana and Neelam. They were the last people to see him at around midnight.

"When my father Mohammed went to wake him for school the next morning his bed was full of pillows.

"It's a complete mystery why he would decided to do something like this. It is totally out of character."

He said Umbar had moved to Nab Wood Grammar from Rhodesway in September, but had settled in well and appeared to be enjoying school.

He added: "He hasn't fallen out with anyone at home and didn't seem to have any worries. Even if he was upset about something he would have spoken to one of us - we're all very close."

Umbar is described as 5ft 4ins tall, 12 stone in weight, with short, black straight hair and brown eyes.

He is believed to have been wearing a blue collared shirt, black baggy trousers and cream fleece, and carrying a black Umbro rucksack.

Police have carried out a search of Heaton and surrounding areas using officers and the force helicopter. And house-to-house inquiries have so far proved fruitless.

Inspector Trevor Gasson, of Toller Lane Police, said: "We've spoken to the staff and pupils at Nab Wood Grammar but no one seems to know where he's gone.

"We're into a third day now and his relatives are obviously becoming increasingly worried."

Inspector Gasson urged householders in the area to search their gardens, sheds and garages in case the youngster was taking shelter.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Toller Lane Police on Bradford 376259.

Meanwhile, police are also concerned for the welfare of 13-year-old Louise Lynam, last seen taking her dog for a walk in the Farsley area of Pudsey at 7am on Monday. She is 5ft 6ins tall, slim, with fair, shoulder-length, straight hair, and was wearing a dark blue Adidas jacket with a lime stripe on the sleeve, navy blue tracksuit bottoms, white trainers, white school shirt and black sweatshirt.

Her dog, called Bracken, is a short- haired whippet-mongrel cross breed, black and tan with cream legs. Anyone with information is asked to contact Pudsey police on (0113) 241 4859.

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