A YORK head teacher says he very much hopes that a former pupil who 'shone within the school' will soon be safely re-united with her family after going missing in London.

Fulford School head Steve Lewis said Sarah Everard was a 'popular and well liked member of our community.'

He said: "Those who taught Sarah speak of a lovely, bright, intelligent girl who shone within the school.

"We pass our thoughts and best wishes to Sarah's family and friends at this worrying time."

Sarah,33, has not been seen or heard from since departing her friend’s house in Clapham, south London, at around 9pm last Wednesday.

Her family, including University of York professor Jeremy Everard, have travelled to London and have been walking her last known journey, said her uncle, Nick Everard.

He said:“These are desperate times for the family. We know the police are doing everything they can but it's the not knowing what has happened after four days that is agonising.

“My brother and sister-in-law are beside themselves with worry. They’re doing everything they can to help find her."

Sarah's family have said in a statement: “With every day that goes by we are getting more worried about Sarah.

“She is always in regular contact with us and with her friends and it is totally out of character for her to disappear like this. We long to see her and want nothing more than for her to be found safe and well.

“We are so grateful to the police and all our friends for all they are doing.

“We are desperate for news and if anyone knows anything about what has happened to her, we would urge you to please come forward and speak to the police. No piece of information is too insignificant.”

Detective Chief Inspector Katherine Goodwin, who is leading the Metropolitan Police's investigation, said yesterday evening: "This is definitely a missing person investigation at the moment but I remain open-minded as to all possibilities in the investigation."

Providing an update to the media outside Scotland Yard in central London, Ms Goodwin said efforts to find Sarah continued "at pace".

She said: "We are currently knocking on doors. We've spoken to over 750 different people and addresses have been visited.

"We continue to receive hundreds of calls from the public. We've received over a hundred calls so far."

She said police had reviewed hours of CCTV around Sarah's movements on the night she was last seen.

Ms Goodwin appealed for anyone with more footage to come forward, particularly people with a dash cam, such as delivery drivers, who may have been driving along Poynders Road at around 9pm on Wednesday.

"The evidence that you have on your dash cam could be absolutely vital to finding Sarah," she said.

Ms Goodwin said a hat found as part of the search for Sarah was not the one she was wearing on the night she disappeared.

She said: "We found a hat today as part of one of our searches, we reviewed it and I'm confident that it's not the hat that Sarah was wearing on the night."

Ms Goodwin said specialist officers had been drafted in from across the Metropolitan Police to help with the investigation and she thanked members of the public who had come forward with information.

"We are all looking to try and find Sarah as quickly as possible," she added.

She said she had met Ms Everard's family, adding: "My heart goes out to them in this most difficult time and they are doing everything that they can in order to help find her along with her friends".

Sarah was last seen wearing a green rain jacket, navy blue trousers with a white diamond pattern and turquoise and orange trainers. She was also thought to have been wearing green earphones and a white beanie hat.

Specialist officers and volunteers from London Search and Rescue have been carrying out searches in the area of Clapham Common and the walking route between Clapham and Brixton.

Anyone with any information should call the incident room on 0208 785 8244 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.