CONCERNS are growing for a senior British diplomat from Droitwich who went missing while jogging.

Richard Morris, who was born in the town but lives in Bentley, Hampshire, went for a run on May 6 and has not been seen since.

Hampshire police published an appeal to find the 52 year-old, who went to Droitwich Spa High School and has been a senior diplomat for more than 20 years.

The appeal said: "Have you seen missing Richard Morris from Bentley, Farnham?

"The 52-year-old man was last seen when he went for a run in the Bentley area at 10.30 this morning (6 May).

"His family are understandably concerned for his welfare.

"We’ve been making enquiries this evening but are now turning to you for your help.

"Richard is described as being white, around 6ft tall, with greying hair and a beard. He is also described as having port birth mark on his face.

"He was last seen wearing a blue long sleeved top with a half zip, black shorts, and blue trainers.

"If you see him, or think you may have seen him since 10.30 this morning please call us on 101, quoting reference 627 of today’s date, or 44200160398."

Mr Morris, who has a distinctive port birthmark on his face, served as British ambassador to Nepal between 2015 and 2019, as well as taking up postings as consul-general in Sydney in addition to Foreign Office work in New York, Mexico City, Bridgetown and Ottawa.

He was head of the Pacific department at the FCO from 2013 to 2015 and is due to take up the role of British high commissioner to Fiji in July this year.

On May 11, Hampshire Police again issued an appeal asking for residents to check their sheds and outbuildings.

They also thanked the public for their efforts in trying to find him, saying: "We would also very much like to thank the public for their response to this appeal, including volunteers from Hampshire Search and Rescue who have assisted us in our search for Richard.

"We would like to reassure people that we have professional search teams conducting a thorough search of local areas and would respectfully ask members of the public not to attempt to look for Richard, outside of your own property, themselves.

"This is so teams can accurately monitor all areas that have been police searched to a professional standard and so potential tracking can be conducted by search dogs.

"We again appeal for anyone with information and also ask residents to check their outbuildings for any signs that someone might have been sheltering there or for discarded items."