THE parents of missing Matthew Jordan have appealed for tourists staying in Bowness or Windermere over March 26-27 to get in touch with police if they saw him.

Claire and Bob Jordan believe Matthew, 20, from Middlesbrough, would have approached other people on the street during the early hours of Thursday March 27.

The university student was accidentally separated from his friends on a night out in the resort and his iPhone ran out of battery.

Cumbria Police, who have stressed Matthew was not worse for wear and capable of asking for help, know that he tried calling at different establishments locally in his attempts to get back to his B&B around a mile away in Windermere.

His parents told the Gazette that they think tourists, who may now have returned home, will be oblivious to the fact that Matthew is missing but could be holding vital information about the last whereabouts of their only child.

The criminology student got accidentally separated from his friends at the Stags Head pub in Bowness at around 12.30am on Thursday March 27. He was later captured on CCTV running.

Mr and Mrs Jordan say their son was the sort of young man who would also have approached other people during the early hours to try to get back to where he was staying.

It's those potential witnesses that the couple said they are desperate to hear from.

Speaking exclusively to The Westmorland Gazette after a morning searching in wet and misty conditions, Mrs Jordan, 43, said: "What we are trying to get across is that there are people out there, holidaymakers, who would have stayed in this area for a short time and have now gone and wouldn't know Matthew is now missing."

"We want to make people aware that Matthew was out there asking for help as he was trying to get back to his B&B. This is a holiday destination and there may have been people staying in the area that have now gone home - it's those people we want to reach. 

"They might not realise how important what they know might be. Anything they think they might know - however, trivial - they should contact the police because it might be the next step in finding Matthew."

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Speaking at Goodly Dale Primary School in Windermere where mass sweeps of Bowness and Windermere are being co-ordinated, both parents said they are remaining positive and believe Matthew is still in the local area.

Mrs Jordan, a pharmacy technician, said: "I have to stay positive and keep focussed. Matthew is out there somewhere. I'm not leaving until I find him. We have to believe he is still in this area - there's a lot of land to cover - even the size of the lake - it's not a small area."

Dad Bob, a HG driver, said: "I know he's out there somewhere and that he would have contacted anyone, his mates or us, to let us know he's all right. If he had gone off anywhere, he would have found someway to get in touch."

The pair praised the many local offers of help and also expressed their deep gratitude to searchers who travelled over from the North East to comb the local area this weekend with Cumbria Police officers and police community support officers.

"It's been fantastic," said Mrs Jordan.  "We can't thank the people of Middlesbrough enough. We understand it's a journey to get here and then go out there in this weather searching for Matthew. We do appreciate any help. And we do appreciate any sort of help from local people as they know these areas better than any of us."

Police added that local people should not be complacent despite the search. "Just because a search is taking place, don't assume it's been done," said a spokeswoman. 

"Check your gardens, sheds, outbuildings - anything."

Cumbria Police said they were still interested in speaking to anyone who might have been travelling along Rayrigg Road, in the early hours of Thursday 27 March.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Cumbria Police on 101 as soon as possible and ask for the duty sergeant at Windermere. Or you can call Missing People in confidence on 116 000.

Matthew is described as 6ft tall, medium build with dark brown hair and was wearing a navy long-sleeved shirt, jeans and grey pull-up boots.