A BURNLEY psychiatric patient who went missing from her hospital ward more than seven weeks ago has been found safe and well.

Police said Christiane Roper, 31, had headed for London with £40 after she went missing from the psychiatric ward at Burnley General Hospital at around 1.30pm on Wednesday, June 23.

She slept rough for some days before an outreach found her and took her to a refuge where she stayed for the next five weeks.

She turned herself in to police at New Scotland Yard on Sunday.

Police said she was not aware of the publicity surrounding her disappearance, but did know she was being looked for.

She has now returned to Burnley where she is being cared for by family.

Police were growing increasingly concerned for Christiane because she was on medication for mental health problems.

A number of possible sightings had been reported in Nelson and Todmorden, but they came to nothing.

Inspector Stuart Barlow from Pennine Police said: "Christiane has been found safe and well and is now back in Burnley.

"We are delighted that she has been found."