FRIENDS of missing schoolgirl Naomi Mills are looking forward to her return to school after she was found safe and well.
Caroline Brown, headteacher at Martley's Chantry High School, had pleaded for Naomi to come home after she disappeared with her 22-year-old policeman boyfriend, Matthew Brooks, on Friday.
Concern grew on Sunday when PC Brooks' car was found submerged in Kyle of Tongue, Northern Scotland.
This morning, Ms Brown said she was "hugely relieved" that Naomi had been found safe and well.
"We hope that she will soon be back with her family and that they can quickly resolve whatever issues led to her running away," said Ms Brown.
"The school will now work to help Naomi, with her family, to restart school and complete her GCSE courses successfully.
"Her friends are looking forward to her return."
Members of the media were still camped outside the Mills' home at Beaconhill Drive in Worcester this morning. But no one was home, and it is thought they were staying with friends or relatives.
A police conference due to be held today in Inverness was cancelled at 9am without explanation.
A question mark hangs over what will happen to PC Brooks. Police were unable to confirm or deny whether he would be questioned on his return to Worcester.
PC Brooks had been a family friend for three years, but had recently formed a "close personal relationship with Naomi", who will turn 16 next month.
Friendship
"Certainly both sets of parents were aware of the friendship and Naomi's parents in particular sought to put constraints on that friendship," said Det Supt Ray Groves of West Mercia Police.
Naomi's parents had not made a complaint to the police about PC Brooks and none of the other force officers knew about the relationship.
A Police Complaints Authority spokesman said he was unable to comment on this case in particular, but said all officers were bound to follow the Police Code of Conduct.
The Code of Conduct covers officers' private and personal lives and states: "Whether on or off duty, police officers should not behave in a way which is likely to bring discredit upon the police service."
"In a misconduct matter, it is down to the individual constabulary to decide how to handle it if it is a disciplinary matter," said the spokesman.
The atmosphere in Kyle of Tongue last night was one of relief.
"There is a great sense of relief that they have been found safe and well," said the owner of Ben Loyal Hotel.
"It's awful to think of two young people out there who might not know what they are doing.
"It's a remote spot where they were found. There is a main road out of Tongue but it is just a single track road."
The weather, which has been mild and sunny since the weekend, turned colder overnight. This morning, the north coast of Scotland was being lashed by force three gales, and temperatures had plummeted.
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