The family of teenager Tracey Curtis-Wiggins today described their joy and relief at finding her safe and sound.

Tracey, 15, ran away from her home in Blenheim Chase a week ago after a family row.

Dad Gary, mum Debbie and six-year-old sister Sophie heard nothing from her for four days and called in the police and local media to appeal for help in finding her.

On Sunday she telephoned home but refused to tell them where she was or if she was coming home.

But following a plea from the family in This Is Essex on Monday, calls flooded in from members of the public who thought they had seen her.

And less than 24 hours later dad Gary found her at an address in Westcliff and she agreed to come home.

He said: "We are just so relieved. She has been asleep a lot since coming back. She seems really tired.

"Things are a bit delicate at the moment but we are just so glad she is safe and sound back home."

Police initially launched their search for Tracey as far north as Scunthorpe, where other members of the family live.

The family came down from Yorkshire at the weekend to help in the search for Tracey after Mr Curtis-Wiggins revealed he had spent hours walking the streets with a picture of her asking passers-by if they had seen her.

Tracey had been grounded by her parents on January 1 after staying out all night at a New Year's Eve party.

She went missing after being dropped off at Cecil Jones High School in Eastern Avenue on Wednesday morning.

She was found on Monday afternoon staying of her own free will at a house in Westcliff after a member of the public called the family to say he had spotted her.

Mr Curtis-Wiggins said: "We've been amazed at the number of calls we've had about Tracey. Without doubt it's been the article in the Echo which helped.

"People have been ringing with the smallest things as they think they might have seen her. We are really grateful to everyone who helped, and to the Echo."

A Southend police spokeswoman said: "We are relieved and pleased that Tracey has been safely returned to her family.

"People leave home for a number of reasons but there are groups such as Childline which can help. We would urge people to use these."

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