FEARS are growing for the safety of a "very vulnerable" New Forest pensioner who has been missing for several days.

Sylvia Morris suffers from schizophrenia and other mental problems - but is thought to have stopped taking her medication.

Mrs Morris, 73, of Prince's Crescent, Lyndhurst, pictured, went missing from her home between 2am and 10am on Saturday.

Her son Neil, who lives with her, got out of bed to find she had left the house.

Mr Morris said his mother had talked about going to Beachy Head, but declined to give any further details about her disappearance.

Inspector Martin Laux, leading the search for the pensioner, said: "She is elderly, has a mental health condition and is very confused.

"We are extremely concerned for her welfare as she is frail and very, very vulnerable.

"We're also experiencing a spell of extremely cold weather, so it's important that we find her as soon as possible."

Police say Mrs Morris has a weak ankle and is likely to have kept to roads after wandering off, rather than venturing across country.

A police spotter plane joined the search on Sunday and scoured the area again yesterday.

Officers have carried out extensive house-to-house inquiries in the Prince's Close area in the hope of picking up the pensioner's trail.

A police dog unit has also been deployed in the village.

Mrs Morris went missing in April 1993. She was later found safe and well at a guesthouse in Swanage, Dorset.