THE worried wife and parents of a missing Portugese man who was last believed to be living and working in Worcester are urging local residents to help them find him.

Margarita Ferreira has not heard from her 43-year-old husband Fernando since his last telephone call to her in Lisbon, Portugal on Sunday, December 5 from the Friar Street flat where he claimed he was living.

Now she and his parents Manuel and Maria are "living on the edge" and very worried about him as he has not been in touch since.

His brother Francisco, who lives in Tokyo, has contacted the Worcester News in a last-ditch attempt to find him.

He said although he had not seen Fernando for 34 years, he desperately wants to find him for the sake of Margarita and his mum and dad.

"They have a life to live and deserve to know what's happened to him," he said.

"That's why I need to find out where Fernando is. Dead or alive."

Francisco believes Fernando moved to Worcester in July 2004, where he said he had got a job at Hop Market Computers.

But he stopped calling home on December 5 and no one has heard from him since.

"Fernando's wife claims that his disappearance is very much out of character," he said.

"He always called regularly and often talked with mother because he was worried about her as she has a heart condition."

He added Margarita fears he has either found a new female companion and moved in with her or fallen in trouble and may be on the run or even murdered.

"Everyone in the family is worried to death," he added.

"Margarita can't sleep, has lost a lot of weight, and jumps in fear every time the phone rings. We just want to know the truth."

Francisco added that Fernando's disappearance had been reported to police in Portugal - but a spokesman for Worcester Police said he had not been reported missing to them and they had no information.

A spokesman for Hop Market Computers said they had not heard of Mr Ferreira.

Anyone with information regarding Fernando Ferreira, or who recognises his picture and knows where he is, can call Worcester News reporter Rebecca Fisher on 01905 742260 or e-mail rf@thisisworcester.co.uk and the details will be passed on to his brother.