Distraught family appeal to get teen daughter home ‘safe’ as she goes missing in Thailand

Bella May Culley, 18, has not spoken to her family since Saturday and was last seen in Pattaya as she travelled Thailand

The family of a missing 18-year-old are urgently appealing for help to get their daughter home after Thai police declared her disappearance as “high priority”.

Bella May Culley, from County Durham, had been travelling with a friend in the Philippines before flying on to Thailand around May 3. She was reportedly last seen in the Pattaya area on Saturday and hasn’t been in contact with her family back home since.

While she was travelling, Bella had been in regular contact with her mum Lyanne Kennedy and was due to speak with her on Saturday.

But after uncharacteristically having no contact with their daughter since last week, Bella’s father Neil Culley has since flown out to Thailand, with his sister Kerrie Culley, to try and get news of her whereabouts.

After having not heard from their daughter, the family believe her phone is turned off.

Bella’s mother Lyanne told Teesside Live: “She flew out to the Philippines after Easter with a friend and she was there for three weeks. She was posting loads of pictures and then she went to Thailand on about May 3.

“The last message she sent was to me and that was on Saturday at 5.30pm saying she was going to Facetime me later. That was the last message anyone has received from what we can figure out up to now.

“I’m just waiting on her dad who is now in Bangkok to get back with any more information. I just want her home and safe or to hear her gorgeous little voice.”

The family are now being supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and said that police in Thailand are treating Bella’s case as “high priority”.

In a post on Facebook, they also said Cleveland Police has been contacted and anyone with information should contact the force.

The post said: “Information on Bella May is now urgently needed on the last known communication with Bella May. The police are now involved over here and in Thailand. Anything could help even if you think it isn’t relevant, it could be.”

A spokesperson for Cleveland Police said: “We have received a report of a missing person who may be in Thailand. Enquiries are ongoing locally and with other agencies to establish the circumstances.

“We would appeal for anyone with information on the whereabouts of 18-year-old Bella Culley to contact Cleveland Police on the 101 number quoting ref 084859.”