Grace Taylor: British tourist has reportedly returned to the UK

Ms Taylor's mother has been appealing for her safe return on Facebook

Grace Taylor, from Swanage in Dorset was last seen backpacking in Thailand on 16 February (Sam Taylor/ Facebook )

The female backpacker who was reported missing in Thailand is believed to have returned home to the UK.

Grace Taylor, from Swanage, Dorset, was reported missing on 21 February after she failed to contact her family for five days while she was backpacking in Pattaya.

But the BBC has reported that the 21-year-old flew back to England on Tuesday night. Dorset Police are yet to confirm this information.

Ms Taylor was initially due to fly home on Monday night but she did not board her flight. Earlier that day, her mother, Sam Taylor, said she had received a call from her daughter in Ao Nang, Krabi province.

"She was very stressed and frightened saying that people were trying to hurt her and were following her and she wanted to come home," her mother said in an appeal on Facebook.

“We calmed her down and booked her a flight from Krabi [on Monday night] but she apparently reached the airport but didn’t catch her flight and has gone missing again,” said her mother, adding that she was “desperately worried”. The Facebook post was shared more than 76,000 times.

Ms Taylor was then found at Krabi airport by authorities, Dorset Police confirmed.

A spokesman said: “Dorset Police has been contacted by Interpol overnight and they have reported that missing woman Grace Taylor has been located at Krabi airport and is being cared for by an officer from the tourist police.”

“Her family have been informed and arrangements are under way to bring Grace back to England.”

Additional reporting by PA