Lyla-Jane Lake, 13, who disappeared a week ago has been found safe

Missing 13-year-old Lyla-Jane Lake has been found safe after her father made a heartbreaking plea for her to ‘please just come home’. 

Lyla, the cousin of Olympic high jumper Morgan Lake, missed Christmas with her family after she went missing from her home in Basingstoke, Hampshire last Wednesday – and no one had seen or heard from her since.

Major searches in her hometown failed to find any trace of the teenager and police said they were ‘extremely concerned’ for her welfare.  

Her father Nathan Lake issued an urgent plea for anyone with information regarding her whereabouts to come forward on Tuesday, before telling his teenage daughter directly: ‘Daddy loves you.’

Then in an update from Hampshire Police in the early hours of Wednesday morning, the force said: ‘We’re pleased to tell you that 13-year-old Lyla, who was missing from Basingstoke, has been found safe. Thank you to everyone who shared our appeals and contacted us with information.’

Lyla-Jane Lake’s father Nathan (pictured together) appealed directly to his daughter to return home

Recording a video, her father had said: ‘My 13-year-old daughter Lyla has been missing for five nights and my family and I are pleading for someone out there just to please come forth with any information surrounding her whereabouts.

‘Lyla is very insecure and naive for her age, but she is never out of the house after 8pm without her parents and hasn’t stayed overnight anywhere except for family members for over 18 months. 

‘Someone must know something. Lyla, if you are watching this, Daddy loves you so much. 

‘If anything is worrying you, it is nothing which can’t be sorted, so please, please just come home. You’re not in trouble. 

‘You have got hundreds of people who care for you and we all just want you to come home safe.’

Brown-eyed Lyla vanished from her home on Wednesday evening and no one had seen or heard from her since

Nathan Lake (pictured with Lyla) issued an urgent plea for anyone with information regarding her whereabouts to come forward

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Recording the video today, Nathan told his daughter: ‘Daddy loves you’

A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary said earlier: ‘Lyla was last seen on Wednesday evening in Simmons Walk, Basingstoke at around 10pm.

‘Since she was reported missing, officers have been conducting several inquiries to find her. 

‘Both we and her family are extremely concerned for her welfare and we are now turning to the public for your help.

‘She is believed to still be in the Basingstoke area.

‘Lyla is described as of mixed race, 5ft 6ins tall and of medium build. 

‘She has long brown hair, brown eyes and when last seen was wearing a black Puffa jacket and grey jogging bottoms. She was carrying a Sports Direct bag for life.

‘If you see her please call 999 immediately, quoting 44220512908,’ the spokesman added.

An update has since confirmed that she has been found safe.