Alex Bendall: Family of missing teenager say they are in pieces

The disappearance of Alex Bendall, also known as Alice, was "out of character", police said

The family of a teenager who has been missing for more than a fortnight has said they are in pieces.

Alex Bendall, also known as Alice, was reported missing from Dorchester, Dorset, on 12 February.

The last known sighting of the 18-year-old was at 19:41 GMT on Saturday 11 February in Cornwall Road, Dorchester.

In an appeal for information, Alex's father Paul Bendall, 60, said: "It's like someone's put a bomb in the family and we're just in pieces."

He said: "Whatever's happened, we just want you home with the family, so we can just be complete again.

"You have so much to live for," added Alex's mother Vicky. "Please come home."

She continued: "It's out of character not to make contact, it's out of character to go wandering without telling us where she could be."

The family of missing teenager Alex Bendall said the last few weeks had been excruciating

Alex was due to start a new job caring for people with dementia this week, and also has a driving theory test booked for Saturday.

Mrs Bendall said Alex was "sensitive," and "very empathetic" which was why the family was "over the moon because we thought [the role] would develop her".

Alex, who is known to their family by the pronouns she/her, messaged their brother Will on the evening they went missing.

Will said: "She messaged me, asking me if I could get the train to Poole with her for her job training.

"She was really excited to start a new job working with old people and that was the last I heard."

On the last day they spent together, Alex drove their parents to the forest, picking up Alex's sister Mary on the way back before they all spent the afternoon together baking for Mary's birthday.

Alex's sister, Mary (left) said: "We owe it to her to find out what has happened"

Mary said: "She's such a caring sister, I got my birthday present which she delivered to my grandma's house."

"She wasn't there to give that," she continued.

"But her kindness is still there, so we owe it to her to find out what has happened."

Mr and Mrs Bendall stayed the night away from home and the next morning Alex's bedroom was empty.

The family said it was filled with gratitude for the overwhelming kindness, love and support of friends, family, neighbours, strangers and the police but what everyone really need was to have Alex home.

Mr Bendall said: "We're really appealing to the public just to send in anything they've got to the police."

Alex's father, Paul, said their return "would make the family complete again"

Dorset Police have said Alex was known to be wearing the black jumper on 11 February under a a green puffa-style body warmer and dark coloured jeans.

Alex was also wearing Dr Martens boots with a green lace in one boot and a purple lace in the other, a bracelet over the cuff on the right arm and carrying a small backpack.

CCTV also shows the teenager, described as 5ft 6in tall, of slim build, with short brown hair, in Tesco in Weymouth Avenue, in the town at about 19:30 on Saturday.