The family of a woman who went missing from her home at Ashton near Helston five days ago today made an emotional plea for her to get in touch.

More than 100 police officers, as well as police dogs and the force helicopter, have been involved in the search for 31-year-old Beth Delbridge, who was last in contact with her family early on Monday morning.

She sent texts to her mother Christine Cumber and boyfriend Gwil Jones at 6.20am, ringing her brother Michael Delbridge at 6.30am. This was the last anyone has heard from her.

She also phoned her place of work, Penhellis Community Care at the Water-ma-Trout industrial estate in Helston, where her call was answered by former policeman Dave Adams. He was concerned about her tone of voice and contacted the police.

Beth’s brother Michael said Beth had seemed in a “distressed” state when she spoke him, adding that she had some personal difficulties.

Her mother Christine said this lunchtime: “We feel she’s vulnerable at this time, or could be.”

Speaking directly to Beth, a clearly emotional Michael said: “If you’re out there Beth we just want to know you’re ok. We love you, everybody loves you, and we just want to know you’re ok.”

Beth, a former Wendron Primary and Helston Community College pupil, left in her green Volkswagen Golf, registration N678 HCV, with only her mobile phone that now appears to be switched off or out of battery.

Her family and friends have been scouring the countryside, with her brother, his partner Becki Goodrum and Gwil, Beth’s boyfriend of almost a year, taking time off work to put up posters in every town and village in west Cornwall.

The group “Have you seen Beth Delbridge?” set up on social networking website Facebook now has almost 12,000 members, many of which have been actively searching for Beth in towns and beauty spots.

Members come from as far away as India and Tanzania.

The family has been inundated with offers of help, with one 15-year-old boy in Fowey – where there has been a possible sighting – offering to keep watch for Beth while out on his paper round.

Psychics have even contacted them, suggesting she could be in Manaccan or as far as Bedfordshire – although the two people she knew in the county have not seen her.

There have been other possible sightings in Bude and St Austell of the slim brunette, with one man saying he saw a distressed woman in a car matching the description, who then drove away when he approached her. As yet there have been confirmed sightings.

Detective Inspector Mike Rodway, criminal manager for west Cornwall who has been leading the investigation from his base in Camborne, said: “Because of the Facebook interest I’m slightly concerned she thinks police are looking for her when and when she returns she’ll be in trouble.

“She’s not in trouble, this is not a criminal investigation. The purpose of the investigation is purely to make sure she’s safe and well and to make sure her family know she is safe and well.”

For a full story on the search for Beth see next Wednesday’s Packet.