A FRIEND of missing teenager Tania Nicol today spoke of her fears that the teenager may have been snatched from an Ipswich street.Nikki Totman, 23, has known Tania for 18-months and said it is completely out of character for the 19-year-old not to be in touch with her family.

A FRIEND of missing teenager Tania Nicol today spoke of her fears that the teenager may have been snatched from an Ipswich street.

Nikki Totman, 23, has known Tania for 18-months and said it is completely out of character for the 19-year-old not to be in touch with her family.

Today she pleaded with anyone with information about Tania's whereabouts to contact police.

She said: “She is a very sweet, quiet type of girl and when I first met her she seemed timid and she stayed like that.

“She doesn't like to cause arguments and is a really lovely girl.”

Miss Totman said she met Tania at a party and they became friends.

They would go clubbing in Ipswich together and would socialise with the same group.

Miss Totman said she knew her friend was working as a prostitute in the town and did it because she could earn a lot of money.

She said she could not believe the former Chantry High pupil would run away and not contact her mum and said she is upset by her friend's disappearance.

She added: “It didn't sink in that she had gone missing at first and the other night I cried because she is so sweet.

“She is a lovely person and I don't see why anyone would intentionally hurt her. She wouldn't have caused anyone any harm or upset anyone.

“I saw her a week or so before she went missing and she was really happy then and I said I would catch up with her soon, that was the last I saw of her.

“I really don't know what could have happened to her. She could have been snatched, she could have got into a car with someone she knew - I don't know.”

Miss Totman said she and Tania had mutual friends who would protect Tania if she needed help but said, if this was the case, her friend would have called her mum to say she was OK.

There have been no confirmed sightings of Tania since 10pm on October 31 when she left her home in Woolverstone Close.

Tania is described as mixed race (white European and black African), 5ft 2in and of slim build, with shoulder length light brown hair, brown eyes and a spotty complexion.

The last time she was seen by her mother she was wearing a black jacket, blue jeans length and high heeled shoes.

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SUFFOLK police today urged anyone with information that could help their inquiries to get in contact.

Detective Inspector Darrin Tomkins, who is part of the team investigating Tania's disappearance, said police were very concerned for her welfare.

He said: “We want anyone that can give us a clue as to her whereabouts to get in touch, or anyone who knows where she is.

“There are numerous avenues of inquiry that we are going along.”

DI Tomkins said a huge team of officers was working on the case and an incident room had been established at police headquarters in Martlesham.

The appeal for information about her whereabouts has been circulated nationwide but so far there have been no confirmed sightings of the teenager since she left her Ipswich home on October 31.

DI Tomkins added: “Her family are being strong but naturally they are concerned for her welfare.

“If people know her or have seen her we would urge them to get in touch.”

Speaking of her work as a prostitute, DI Tomkins added: “These women deserve as much protection from the police as anyone else.”

Anyone with information about Tania's disappearance should call Suffolk police on 01473 613588 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.