POLICE are growing increasingly concerned for the safety of a 14-year-old girl who has been missing from her Blackpool home since Halloween night.

The family of Charlene Downes has not seen her since she told her mother she was going to the Carousel on North Pier with friends and there are fears that she has been living rough.

She was last seen wearing a black jumper with white diamonds and black trousers with sequins and three stripes at the bottom.

She had a grey blanket around her shoulders.

Insp Eddie Thistlethwaite said: "We are growing concerned for Charlene's health and well-being as it is out of character for her to go missing for this length of time. We would like to stress that she is not in trouble and just want to know that she is safe. We would appeal for anyone with any information about her whereabouts or for Charlene herself to contact police on 01253 293933 or the National Missing Persons Helpline on 0500 700 700."

Since an initial appeal for information, a friend of Charlene has come forward to reveal that she saw the girl at Blackpool bus station on Monday, though police have yet to confirm this sighting.