Sunderland woman's disappearance 'out of character'

Danielle Best is said to have distinctive tattoos on her arm, left shoulder and lower back

Police looking for a missing woman say her disappearance is "highly out of character".

The family of Danielle Best, from Sunderland, have appealed for information from anyone who knows where she is.

The 36-year-old has not been seen since Monday night and was reported missing on Tuesday evening.

Her parents, Jeanette and Jeff Best, said in a statement she was "extremely vulnerable and alone".

They said she had no money or phone and they did not know if she had food and water.

"We've not heard anything for a few days and this is not like Danielle at all," they said.

"We're getting more and more worried as the days go on and we just need to know that she's OK."

They called on Ms Best to let them know she was safe, or for anyone with information to contact police.

Danielle Best was captured on CCTV walking past the Harbour View pub in Roker

Officers believe Ms Best, from the Eden Vale area of Sunderland, also has links to Wallsend and North Shields and may have travelled towards Roker or Seaburn seafront.

CCTV footage shows her walking past the Harbour View pub in Roker at 19:15 BST on Monday, and police believe she may have been going towards Marsden.

Ch Insp Lorraine Cuthbertson said the force was "increasingly concerned" for her welfare and searches were continuing.

"We'd ask the public once again to please get in touch with any information, no matter how small it may seem," she said.

Ms Best is described as 5ft 5in (164cm) tall with medium-length, straight, purple hair. She has two distinctive dove tattoos on her right upper arm, a butterfly tattoo on her left shoulder and a tribal tattoo on her lower back.