Police Dog Searches Tia's Grandmother's House

Tia Sharp's grandmother says she "just wants her baby back" as police use dogs to search her home for clues about the 12-year-old's disappearance.

Two female detectives arrived at the house in southeast London this morning but left 30 minutes later with brown evidence bags.

Earlier Christine Sharp, 46, broke down in tears saying the missing schoolgirl was "my life" and that she believes she is not staying away by choice.

It is now one week since Tia disappeared and police are expected to step up their questioning of the public in an attempt to jog memories.

Christine Sharp, 46, said: "My only message to Tia is that I love her.

"She is my life. I don't know where she has gone. I don't know how she's gone.

"She's not staying away by choice, I know this. I just don't know what else to say."

Mrs Sharp's house in New Addington, Croydon, has remained the focus of the investigation, as it was the last place she was seen, on Friday, August 3.

Detectives are planning to hand out fliers on bus and tram routes in the area after Tia apparently vanished without a trace.

Mrs Sharp added that the family will help police in any way they can.

"I just want my baby back," she said.

On Thursday evening, detectives removed a holdall from one of the rooms in the terraced house, believed to contain quilts and bedding.

They were later transferred into evidence bags and taken away for examination.

Stuart Hazell, the boyfriend of Mrs Sharp, is believed to have been the last person to see the girl and detectives are treating him as a key witness in the inquiry.

He has told them Tia left the house at midday, last Friday, to go shopping in Croydon with money he had given her.

It is thought she would have walked to a nearby bus stop and police are expected to again talk to people who regularly use it.

Former Metropolitan Police detective Julian Worker said the investigating officers will want to revisit anywhere Tia may have gone, in an attempt to find people who would have seen her.

Speaking about the widespread search, Mrs Sharp said: "The way people have been is absolutely fantastic.

"Obviously we have had the odd ones that have been whatever, but we can't thank them and praise them enough, I really really can't.

"All I want is all these t-shirts (Tia missing t-shirts) on the field, on the bonfire with Tia standing (here)."

He told Sky News there could be someone who may not realise they possibly hold the key to finding the schoolgirl.

"People have different habits, they may have been away and come back after three or four days or, particularly with the Olympics going on at the moment, they may not have been monitoring the news in the same way," he said.

"So this offers that opportunity to raise it back into the psyche of the public and hopefully find that key witness who could make a difference to recover Tia."

The area around Ms Sharp's house has been searched by police, including bins and garages.

Detectives are also liaising with other forces, including West Yorkshire Police, the force that investigated the faked kidnapping of Shannon Matthews.

On Thursday, Tia's uncle David Sharp said the family were "in bits".

"Everyone is trying to do their best by sticking together and keeping everything tight and supporting each other," he said.

"I don't know what has happened to Tia. I don't want anyone to think the worst has happened to Tia."

He said he hoped she was "somewhere safe" and urged her: "Come home. There is no trouble. Walk through that door."