CONCERNS are growing for a teenager who has been missing from home for a week.

The family of 15-year-old Jenny Francis, who has not been seen since last Wednesday, made an emotional plea for the youngster to return to her Blackburn home.

Her step-mum Sarah said she was particularly concerned about the teen’s welfare because of her use of legal highs.

She said: “We just want to know she is safe. We have no idea where she has gone.

“Her dad Michael is not sleeping with the worry. It is making him ill.

“We are at our wits’ end.”

Mrs Francis said Jenny was last seen leaving a friend’s house in Brothers Street, around three miles from her home, around 2pm last Wednesday afternoon.

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She has no money, phone or change of clothes with her.

The Healthy Living volunteer said she was concerned about where Jenny, who has been taking the legal highs Damnation and Happy Joker since she was 12, could be getting the money from to fund her habit.

The 34-year-old said: “We are worried about what she is going to do because she is that desperate with these legal highs.

“We think she must have found somebody to stay with because this is the longest she has ever been missing for and nobody has seen her at all.

“The police have been back and forwards to all her friends’ houses, but they do not know anything “We are pleading with her to come home, it is terrible not knowing where she is.

“And if anybody has seen her, please get in touch.”

Mrs Francis said that although Jenny, who is a year 10 pupil at The Heights free school, had friends in the Mill Hill and Higher Croft areas of Blackburn, she could be anywhere in East Lancashire.

Police have launched an investigation to try to trace the teen.

Insp Andy Winter appealed for anyone with information about where she might be to get in touch.

He said: “If anyone has seen Jenny, I would urge them to get in touch as her family haven’t heard from her for a week.

“We believe that she may be in or around Blackburn, as we know that she frequents the Mill Hill and Higher Croft areas of the town, as well as Darwen.

“If Jenny is seeing this, please contact the police or your family and let us know you’re okay.

“You aren’t in any trouble, we just want to know that you’re safe and well.”

Jenny is described as being around 5ft 4ins tall and of a slim build.

She was last seen wearing pink and white zigzag patterned coat, black leggings and trainers.

Anybody with information should call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.