The police this morning renewed a call for information on the whereabouts of Maxim Vorobyev,16, a Russian resident of Valletta, who has been missing since Wednesday.

Maxim is almost 6ft tall. He has brown hair and blue eyes and wears glasses. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a beige top and jogging shoes.

Anyone having any information may phone the police in confidence on 119 or 2122 1111.

Meanwhile, the newspaper illum quoted Grace Pace of Valletta as fearing that the boy may have been kidnapped. Ms Pace has been caring for the boy for the past seven years. She insisted there was no reason for the boy to run away and he had looked very happy on Wednesday. He was last seen at 6.30 p.m. when he was asked to take some jelly to his uncle. He never turned up.