A POLICE officer from East Yorkshire has gone missing - sparking a search by his colleagues.

Neale Coy, 50, from Goole, has been an officer for more than 27 years and was reporting missing at about 11.20pm yesterday after failing to turn up for a night shift with Humberside Police.

The force said his non-apperance was "totally out of character" and Mr Coy's family and friends have not heard from him since.

Senior officer Rich Kerman, who has known Mr Coy for more than 20 years, said: "We are carrying out a number of inquiries at present to try to find him, and it goes without saying that Neale's family, along with myself and other colleagues, are worried about his welfare and simply want to know he is OK.

"Neale, if you are watching this on the news, hear it on the radio or see it either online or in a newspaper, please get in touch either with your family or by calling in and speaking to the force duty officer to let us know you are OK. If something is troubling you, you shouldn't be looking to face it alone and we can help."

Mr Coy is white, with a slim, athletic build, about 5ft 10in tall, with short cropped dark hair. It is not known what he may have been wearing at the time he disappeared as he had been due to work a shift last night but did not report for duty.

Anybody who has information about Mr Coy's whereabouts should phone Humberside Police on 101, quoting log number 829 of December 21.