POLICE are appealing for a teenage girl to make contact after she left home on Christmas Eve, apparently to stay with friends.

Samantha Spirit, 15, walked out of her grandparents' home in Durham Street, Spennymoor, on Saturday afternoon following an argument.

She has not made any contact with her family since then, although checks with her phone network have confirmed she has used her mobile several times.

However, when police or her grandparents have tried to contact her, the phone has always been switched off, leading them to believe she is deliberately staying out of contact and is using the phone only to check for messages.

She also went missing from home at the end of November, but was found safe and well in Jarrow. Police suspect she may have headed to Tyneside again to meet friends, some of whom are considerably older than her.

She has straight collar-length hair, which was dyed red and blue-purple. She is 5ft 8in and slim, with blue eyes.

On the day she left home, she wore a black sleeveless bodywarmer over a grey hooded top and a navy blue adidas T-shirt. She normally wears several bracelets and earrings.

Inspector Andrea Clayton said that while police did not think she was in immediate danger, her age made her vulnerable.

She said: "If she does not feel able to ring her family, we would urge Samantha to contact the police, either in Spennymoor or on Tyneside. Our colleagues in Northumbria have been alerted and are keeping an eye open for her."

Anyone with information has been asked to contact Durham Police on 0845 60 60 365.