POLICE have appealed to the public for help in finding a 66-year-old woman who has gone missing from Surrey and is believed to be in the Dawlish and wider South Devon area.

Teresa McCarthy was last heard from on August 7 and is believed to have access to her mobile phone.

Police say she may be travelling independently by public transport and could be seeking shelter in parks, public open spaces, transport hubs or beachfront areas.

Teresa is described as white, around 5ft 4ins tall and of medium build, with short, cropped grey hair.

She wears glasses, which she is known to wear on her head.

At the time she was last seen, Teresa was wearing a light grey hooded top with drawstrings, black three-quarter-length leggings and flip flops.

She is also believed to be carrying a black back-pack and pulling a larger wheeled bag.

A sleeping bag and roll mat are strapped to either side of the bag, which also has a black coat attached to it.

Officers are particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have seen or spoken to Teresa recently, or who believes they may know where she is.

Police are also asking businesses, transport staff, support services, healthcare providers and members of the public across Dawlish and South Devon to remain vigilant and report any potential sightings.

Anyone who sees Teresa is asked to call 999 immediately, quoting the relevant incident or missing-person reference number.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation, but where there is no immediate sighting, should contact Devon and Cornwall Police via 101 or its online reporting service, quoting reference 50260212753.

Police said that any information, no matter how small, could help locate Teresa and ensure she is safe and well.