The mother of a 12-year-old girl believed to have disappeared with a 14-year-old boy last night made an emotional appeal for her daughter to ring home.

Natasha Phillips and Ashley Lamprey, who met while on holiday in Greece earlier this year, have not been seen since Tuesday morning.

Natasha, from Newport, Isle of Wight, left a note for her family, saying she loved them all, police said.

Michelle Clark, her mother, said: ''Natasha, I just want to know that you are OK, and you are with Ashley, and that you are both safe. I know you and Ashley want to be together, but you need to let the family know that you are both safe

''We love you very much, and we just want you to come home. You are not in any trouble. I have spoken to Ashley's family, and they feel the same. They will be missing him and also worried.''

Police believe Natasha and Ashley, from Ackworth, West Yorkshire, had been planning to meet up for several weeks.

Acting Inspector Paul Savill, of Newport police, said: ''We know that they have been in regular contact with each other, and we think they made travel plans together to go to Northampton.

''Neither of them have relatives or friends in the area that we aware of, and it was possibly just a meeting point before travelling elsewhere.

''We are concerned as they only have a limited amount of money between them, and we are worried how they will look after themselves once this runs out.

''We would appeal for either of them to contact family just to let them know where they are, or contact their nearest police station so we know they are together and safe.

''We have even put some credit on their mobile phones and would urge them to use this to contact their parents.

''If anyone has seen a teenage couple using public transport or staying somewhere together and they match the descriptions of this couple, they are asked to contact police.''

Natasha is described as appearing two or three years older than her actual age of 12. She is 5ft 8in tall, slim with shoulder-length brown hair with blonde highlights and could be wearing a pink hooded top.

Ashley is 5ft 10in tall, slim, with short spiky blond hair and could be wearing a black hooded top.