Police hunt for missing junior doctor Lauren Phillips

Dr Lauren Phillips's car has been found but she has disappeared

Police are hunting for a missing junior doctor who has not been seen for almost two weeks.

Dr Lauren Phillips, who works for North Bristol NHS Trust, was last seen on Thursday 23 February.

The 26-year-old's car was found in Woolacombe, Devon, on 28 February but no other traces of her have been found, police said.

Monica Baird, deputy medical director, described Dr Phillips as a "valued member of our medical staff".

Lauren Phillips has been described as 'a very sweet doctor' by a former colleague

Dr Phillips, who now lives in Bristol, worked at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust during her foundation year.

One of her former colleagues, who wanted to remain anonymous, described her as "a very sweet doctor".

'State of NHS' comments

He said: "She makes sure everything is OK and stays three hours late to get everything done.

"She works crazily hard. On Facebook she was getting increasingly depressed with the state of the NHS."

He said she had ambitions to become an anaesthetist, or work in critical care.

Det Insp Mark Langdon of Avon and Somerset Police, who is leading the hunt, said: "We continue to do everything we can to find Lauren and we're making sure her family are regularly updated about our investigation.

Dr Phillips could be wearing a beige woollen hat with a purple flower on the side, and cream gloves with pink hearts on

"As Lauren's car was found in Woolacombe our focus has been on the North Devon area, so we're directing our appeal at any surfers or ramblers who may have passed through the area in the past fortnight."

He added: "Lauren hasn't been seen for some days now and we're growing increasingly concerned. We really need the public's help in finding her.

"We're particularly keen for bed and breakfast owners or hoteliers in and around the Woolacombe area to check whether she has booked in with them."

Coastguard search

Searches have been carried out by Devon and Cornwall Police assisted by HM Coastguard, the RNLI and the National Police Air Service.

Dr Phillips is described as white, 5ft 5ins tall, of slim build with brown eyes and long, dark brown hair.

It is thought she may be wearing a dark brown waxed cotton mid-length coat with cream wool-lined hood and a long cream woollen cardigan which has orange and blue detail.

She could also be wearing Converse trainers and a beige woollen hat which has a purple flower on the side.