The family of a missing 20-year-old woman last seen almost three weeks ago in North Yorkshire have issued a direct message to help find her.

Annie Dryden from Middlesbrough was last seen after getting off a train at Battersby in the Moors at about 2.38pm on Thursday, January 4.

She boarded the train at James Cook train station in Middlesbrough at 2.09pm that day.

Annie’s family have urged her to make contact.

“Annie, we just want to know you are safe. You don’t need to come home, we just need to know you are ok,” they said in a statement through North Yorkshire Police.

“We love you and we miss you but we also understand there were events coming up at home which were causing you upset. These have now passed.

“So many people are worried about you, we are receiving so many messages from those concerned about you. Please just get in touch with someone.”

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson added: “Annie we know from speaking to your family, you would not like the media attention, or your photograph being published.

“We needed to do this to help find you. Once we know you are ok, we will remove your image from our website and social media channels and will work with the media to do the same.

“You are not in any trouble, just like your family, we want to know you are safe.”

How to report information 

Officers urge anyone who knows where Annie is to phone 999.

Annie is described as around 5ft 10in tall and of slim build. She has dark hair with a distinctive blonde fringe and a scar above her top lip. She was carrying a green and black backpack when she was last seen.

As The Press reported, officers have carried out extensive searches in the area of Battersby and further afield with the support of mountain rescue volunteers and the National Police Air Service.

Last week they extended their search to the village of Castleton, after following up information provided by the public.

Detective Chief Inspector Fionna McEwan from North Yorkshire Police previously said Annie is “very familiar” with the outdoors and wild camping (when someone sleeps in a tent in the countryside not in a campsite or caravan park).