THE hunt for two missing women has gone nationwide as police investigate the possibility the disappearances could be linked with other cases, it was revealed last night.

By Danielle Nuttall

THE hunt for two missing women has gone nationwide as police investigate the possibility the disappearances could be linked with other cases, it was revealed last night.

Detectives are liaising with forces both locally and across the country in a bid for clues on what might have happened to 19-year-old Tania Nicol and Gemma Adams, 25.

They have also refused to rule out the possibility the girls, who both worked as prostitutes in Ipswich, have been abducted - saying they are keeping an “open mind”.

Detective Superintendent Andy Henwood, who is overseeing both inquiries, said: “We are keeping our mind open to every possibility.

“We have publicised the last confirmed sightings we have in respect of them. Our information as to exactly what happened after that is very scant.

“We are liaising with other forces both regionally and nationally and with other police agencies that are able to support us and offer us assistance by identifying potentially similar occurrences.

“We then need to make an assessment in respect of those before we can draw any conclusion.”

Tania, who lived in Woolverstone Close, Ipswich, went missing three weeks ago after coming into Ipswich to work as a prostitute.

The last confirmed sighting of her was on CCTV footage walking in front of the exit of Sainsbury's garage in London Road at 11.02pm on Monday, October 30.

Gemma, from Blenheim Road, Ipswich, came into Ipswich town centre on Tuesday, November 14 with the intention of working as a prostitute.

Her partner left her near to the Freemasons Arms on Victoria Street in Ipswich at about 10pm that evening. But Gemma never arrived home and has not made contact with her partner or family since.

The last confirmed sighting of Gemma is at 1.15am on Wednesday, November 15, in the area of West End Road and Handford Road.

The force now has 50 officers dedicated to the two incident rooms as well as a significant number of officers carrying out searches and patrols on the ground.

Anniversary checks in relation to both girls were carried out earlier this week, the latest of which took place in the early hours of yesterday in a bid for further information on Gemma's disappearance.

Officer spoke to 110 people including pedestrians and motorists near to the BMW garage on the junction of West End Road and Handford Road - the area where Gemma was last seen at 1.15am.

Det Supt Henwood said the information would be reviewed to establish any critical lines of enquiry in the investigation.

Anyone with information in relation to Gemma should call the police incident room on 01473 613538 or 01473 613588 for Tania. Calls can also be made anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.