Sister's fears for missing twin

The twin sister of the missing student who sent text messages to her friends pleading for help says her family now "fear the worst".

Sally Geeson, 22, disappeared after a New Year's Eve party in Cambridge. Detectives believe she may have been abducted by an illegal minicab driver.

Today her identical twin sister Julie told the Evening Standard of the anguish five days after Sally disappeared.

Speaking at the family home in Southend, she described the waiting as unbearable for everyone, including their mother Sue, 46, an education consultant.

She said: "I just feel sick, like your stomach is hollow and your mind plays tricks on you. You try to stay positive but you can't help thinking the worst. Now it's the fifth day and we have heard nothing."

Her mother added: "We are preparing ourselves for the worst news."

Miss Geeson, a third year forensic science student at Anglia Polytechnic University, Cambridge, had been at a party in a pub in the city. She left with a male friend at about 1am to get some chips but disappeared when he went to break up a scuffle outside the takeaway.

The text messages arrived several hours later after being held up because the system was jammed with users sending New Year greetings. The first message was sent to Miss Geeson's flatmate Janet O'Dea, 22, saying: "No one waited for me, I've got into a car

with someone. Please call me."

Two minutes later she sent another text to friend Andy Webber, 24, which read: "Please help me x."

Two further messages were sent shortly afterwards to a male friend, one of which pleaded for help. The other read: "Hi Em. It's me I am lost."

Records show that her mobile phone - a silver Nokia 8210 - went dead at 9.44am on 1 January. Experts are trying to establish if the phone was switched off or the battery simply-ran out. Police appealed to anyone who may have found it to contact them.

Detective Superintendent Garry Swain, who is leading the hunt for Miss Geeson, said: "Sally may have been picked up in a car by someone she knew or she may have got into a taxi.

"I would appeal to anyone who believes they may have given Sally a lift somewhere that night to contact us."

Detectives say a bouncer at the pub remembers her going back inside between 1am and 1.45am that night. Nothing has been heard from her since.

Police are now studying CCTV in the hope of spotting Miss Geeson. Her university friends have put up hundreds of posters pleading for help in tracing her.

Miss Geeson's family describe her as a bubbly, outgoing person but said her disappearance was totally out of character.

In an emotional plea her mother said: "Sally, if there's a problem, it does not matter, just contact us." Miss Geeson is white, 5ft 2in, of slim build with curly ginger hair. She was wearing glasses, a brown dress and brown high-heeled shoes and was carrying a denim bag with a brown strap.

Police are investigating a sighting of a distressed woman matching Miss Geeson's description, on the 12.45pm Norwich to Sheringham train on Sunday, 2 January. Anyone with information should call police on 0845 456 4564.