STEPHEN Moss, the 46-year-old Ipswich man who had been missing for a month has been in touch with his family to say he is alive and well.His sister, Anita Short from the Wirral in Merseyside, had asked The Evening Star to help publicise her brother's disappearance in the hope someone would let them know where he was.

STEPHEN Moss, the 46-year-old Ipswich man who had been missing for a month has been in touch with his family to say he is alive and well.

His sister, Anita Short from the Wirral in Merseyside, had asked The Evening Star to help publicise her brother's disappearance in the hope someone would let them know where he was.

But she believes Mr Moss had either seen the appeal in the Star or someone had told him his family was worried and he got in touch at the weekend.

Suffolk police had been looking for Mr Moss after they were contacted by St Clement's Hospital in Ipswich where he was a voluntary patient.

They alerted Merseyside Police ten days ago who contacted his sister. Concerns grew for his health because Mr Moss was being treated for depression when he disappeared.

At the weekend he telephoned his sister and her partner Brian Howling told the Star they were relieved to know he was OK.

"We were not at home but he left a message on our answerphone to say he was all right and we were not to worry," she said.

"This is a great relief and we thank everyone who helped," he added.

An Ipswich police spokewoman said they had been contacted by Mr Moss's family to say he had been in touch.