Charlotte Bevan missing: Police issue urgent appeal for Bristol mother who disappeared from maternity hospital with newborn

Charlotte Bevan did not have a coat or shoes on when she went missing

Police are "urgently" searching for a mother after she went missing from a maternity hospital with her newborn baby last night.

Charlotte Bevan, 30, left Bristol Maternity Hospital between 8.30pm and 9pm with her four-day-old baby girl, named Zarnee Teanna.

She was not wearing have a coat or shoes and is believed to have been wearing hospital slippers. Her newborn child is thought to have been only wrapped in a blanket.

The weather in Bristol is currently 3C and is not expected to be higher than 6C throughout the day.

A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said Ms Bevan "may appear confused and worried".

The spokesperon said the force is concerned for both Charlotte's welfare and that of her baby. “We are urging Charlotte to let us know that she and her baby are all right.

"Her baby is inappropriately wrapped for the cold weather in a blue and white striped and coloured blankets.

Anyone who sees Ms Bevan and her child is asked to call 999 immediately.

Officers have been searching the city centre throughout the night and appeals have been put out to bus drivers and taxi drivers and those travelling into work on early shifts this morning to look out for Charlotte and her daughter."

Ms Bevan is described as white, around 5ft 8in tall, of average build with dark wavy hair.

She is believed to have been wearing a long black top and black trousers when she went missing from the hospital, on Southwell Street.

Friends have described Ms Bevan's disappearance as "out of character".

Writing on Avon and Somerset Police's Facebook page, Isaac Jack McCardle described searching for mother and baby last night.

"I know her and her partner. This is out of character," he wrote.

"I was out on the streets with a friend for over three hours and searched almost every road, park, alleyway etc in the area as well as high streets and found nothing.

"We talked to a police officer who was patrolling in a car and told us she'd not yet been found. I was in a warm coat and now I'm back home and chilled to the bone so it is worrying.

"I really hope they are both safe and are all reunited soon.

Additional reporting by PA