The family and friends of a woman missing after she was last seen in an Essex seaside town have praised locals for joining the search.
Vitória Figueiredo Barreto went missing last Tuesday and was last seen in Brightlingsea.
Since the disappearance of the 30-year-old, police and residents have organised searches of the surrounding area.
Vitória’s family and friends have thanked the community for its help.
In a video message, they said: “Brightlingsea community, we are here to thank you for everything you’re doing in such a beautiful, such a fantastic community.
“We could access your spreadsheets with your names, with all roads in Brightlingsea, showing the amazing job you are doing helping us to find Vitória, and we will find her.
"We are here again at Clacton Police Station.
We are working hard since early morning again, trying to understand, have some information for you all, okay?
“Thank you so much.”
Essex Police said Vitória was last seen on March 3 at the University of Essex campus in Wivenhoe before boarding the number 87 bus to Brightlingsea.
Police have confirmed that a bag matching her description was found near Copperas Road in Brightlingsea and CCTV appears to show her climbing into a boatyard shortly after midnight on March 4.
Detectives have also been investigating reports that a boat was taken from its mooring in Brightlingsea in the early hours of March 4 and later found drifting near Bradwell-on-Sea .
Searches have expanded beyond Brightlingsea to coastlines along the River Blackwater and the Dengie peninsula, the River Crouch and Mersea Island, with police urging anyone with CCTV from the harbour area to contact officers.
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