POLICE are becoming increasingly concerned for the welfare of a single teenage mother who has been missing for more than 48 hours.

Kirsty Holland, 17, left her home in James Street South, Murton, east Durham, at 10.30am on Monday saying she was going to local shops for milk and bread.

However, when Kirsty, who has a five-month-old boy, failed to return by mid-afternoon, her mother contacted police to report her missing.

Although she has gone missing before, she usually returns home within a short space of time.

She has also been suffering from depression lately and police are asking her to get in touch, either directly with her family or through the nearest police station.

The only contact so far was a telephone call she made to a friend at 7.25pm on Monday, but she did not say where she was.

As well as her son, Kirsty lives with her mother, stepfather, brother and sister.

She is described as 5ft 3in, with brown eyes and an olive complexion. She is stocky with dark hair.

When she left the house on Monday she was wearing a black baseball cap with a green cannabis leaf on the front, an olive green track suit top with a white band across the chest and blue tracksuit bottoms.

PC Jill Roddam, of Seaham police, said: "We are concerned Kirsty has not made any contact with her family since Monday and we are urging her to let us know she is safe and well.

"If anyone has had any contact with Kirsty in the last couple of days they might also be able to help our search for her.''