A missing teenager was last seen walking along a canal tow path last Thursday, police have confirmed.

Alice Gross, 14, was last seen by her family at 1pm on Thursday, August 28, when she left her home in Hanwell and said she would return later that evening.

She was seen on CCTV walking along the Grand Union Canal towpath near the Holiday Inn, Brentford Lock, at 2.23pm the same day, heading toward the River Thames in Kew.

At 3.45pm, she was seen walking along the same part of the towpath in the direction of Hanwell.

Police are continuing to establish whether there have been any further sightings of Alice, who has not been in good health recently.

Alice is white, 5ft 2in, very slim and has shoulder length light brown hair.

She was last seen wearing dark blue jeans, a dark green lacy cardigan and may have been wearing denim blue Vans shoe and tartan-framed glasses.

It is believed she was also carrying a dark rucksack.

Alice’s family made an emotional appeal for her to return home on Monday, September 1, and police have appealed for anyone who met Alice on a song-writing workshop at Camden Roundhouse last month to come forward.

Police said the investigation was continuing to be treated as a missing person’s inquiry but because of the high risk nature of the investigation and concerns for Alice’s welfare, the Homicide and Major Crime Command (HMCC) are leading the investigation.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Chalmers, from HMCC, said: "I would like to stress that there is no change to the status of this investigation. This is and continues to be treated as a missing person’s inquiry and our involvement is due to the fact that we have a vulnerable missing young girl who needs to be located as a matter of priority.

"I would like to thank the local community and those who have kept the appeal in the public domain by using social media to highlight Alice’s disappearance.

"This has generated a number of leads and I would urge anyone who has any information that has yet to get in contact with us to please do.

"In particular I would like to speak with anyone who may have seen Alice on the Grand Union Canal or River Brent Towpaths during the afternoon of Thursday, August 28."

Anyone who has seen Alice of has information that may assist the investigation should call the incident room on 020 8358 0100, Ealing missing persons unit on 020 8246 1018 or 101 or missing people on 116000.