THE long-term partner of a missing Ryedale man has made an emotional appeal for him to get in touch.

John Good has been with Ian Turner for 28 years, but 45-year-old Mr Turner walked out of their home in Sherburn, near Malton, on September 30 and has not been in touch with anyone since.

Mr Good, who appealed for help at a police press conference in Malton yesterday, said he was desperate to hear from Ian, or anyone who may know where he is. "If you're out there, Ian, could you please contact me or your work colleagues?" he said.

"It's like a nightmare getting up every day, not knowing what's going to happen.

"Every time the phone rings we don't know who it's going to be - we are getting more worried the longer it goes on."

Mr Good said he feared for his partner's safety as Ian had recently been suffering from depression.

"It's not an impossibility that he might have done something to himself, I would not put it past him," he said.

"He said in the past that he had what I would describe as a death wish.

"His mother died when he was seven and his father died when he was about 17, and he said that when he had this depression in the past he wanted to be with them."

Detective Sergeant Ian Fieldsend, who is heading the investigation, said police were increasingly concerned about Mr Turner's well-being.

In the days following his disappearance, 15 officers and a specially-trained dog searched the area surrounding Mr Turner's home, but the searched proved fruitless.

Two sightings of Mr Turner have been reported - in Malton, on October 8, and in the Dean Road area of Scarborough on October 11 - but there have been no further sightings.

Ryedale, Scarborough and District Gay Community Network are also helping police and have posted messages on internet message boards appealing for Mr Turner to get in touch.

DS Fieldsend added: "If he is still alive, and we are obviously hoping he is, we are asking him to contact Mr Good, a member of his family or the police at least, to say he is all right."

Mr Turner is white, 5ft 9in tall and heavily-built, and had a shaved head when he walked out of his home.

He was wearing blue jeans and a sweatshirt and was carrying a black attache case.

He walks with a distinctive limp and was carrying an aluminium hospital stick.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ryedale Witness Line on 01723 509662.

Updated: 11:29 Wednesday, November 13, 2002