POLICE are looking into reports that a missing 14-year-old boy has been spotted in a Somerset town.

Officers are checking on a reported sighting of Iwan Thomas in West Street, Somerton at midday yesterday (Thursday).

They are increasingly worried for his whereabouts after he went missing from his home in Horsecastles, Sherborne, at around 7.40am yesterday.

Inspector Richard Dixey, of Dorset Police, said: “Iwan has been missing for a second day now and we are very concerned for his welfare.

“Since our initial appeal we have received some possible reported sightings of Iwan – all from yesterday.

"They were outside Godden & Curtis on Greenhill in Sherborne at around 8.40am, at approximately midday along West Street in Somerton, at 2pm in Ninesprings park in Yeovil and then last night at 5.30pm near the Teddy Rowe pub in Sherborne.

"We believe that Iwan has some money on him and he may have used this to travel around.

“At this time we have no information about where he may have gone to after the last sighting.”

Iwan is white, 5ft 10in tall, of slim build and has light ginger-coloured spikey hair.

One of the sightings confirmed that he is wearing The Gryphon School uniform – a white polo shirt, black trousers, a navy blue jumper and black shoes – and a blue rucksack.

Inspector Dixey added: “There are a number of searches going on in the Sherborne area and we are making many other enquiries to establish where Iwan may have gone.

"His family has recently moved to Dorset from Perth in Scotland and we have been in contact with the police there.

“I am urging anyone with any information about Iwan’s whereabouts, no matter how seemingly insignificant this may be, to get in touch as we need to find him urgently to ensure he is safe and well.

“If Iwan sees this appeal, please contact us or your family to let us know you are safe.

"You are not in any trouble. We all just want to make sure you have not come to any harm.”

Anyone with information or knowledge as to Iwan’s whereabouts is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via e-mail 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting incident number 13:198.