The mother of a missing student is "broken", as hundreds of students joined more than 70 police officers in freezing conditions to look for her.

Libby Squire, 21, has not been seen by friends since getting into a taxi outside the Welly nightclub in central Hull at 11pm on Thursday.

Police said they are "extremely concerned" for the University of Hull student's welfare as her family said her disappearance is "very out of character".

As the search entered its third day, her mother, Lisa Squire, from High Wycombe, said she is "broken without my Pie" as she urged her daughter to "come home".

Image: More than 70 police officers have been searching for Ms Squire (L)

Police said they have "a number of leads", as they revealed the Coastguard and firefighters were searching around the River Hull on Sunday.


Police dogs have also been deployed to the area she was last spotted.

Around 200 students carried out a search of the university premises on Saturday afternoon, with organiser Ryan Tweddell describing his friend as "hardworking, helps everyone who needs it and is a lovely, brilliant girl".

Her mother, a nursery nurse, thanked "all the fantastic students".

"She is obviously loved by so many," Mrs Squire wrote on social media.

Her family has "taken great comfort in this", she said.

Image: Libby Squire (L) went missing on Thursday night in Hull

Image: The disappearance of Ms Squire (R) is 'very out of character', her family said

Ms Squire is believed to have been turned away from the Welly club and was put in a taxi by her flatmate Amelia Cummins, who told HullLive she has lived with her for the past two years.

Police believe Ms Squire got out of the taxi about five minutes later near her home, which is only about 1.3 miles away.

CCTV last captured her at about 11.45pm near her home, where a motorist got out of his car to help her.

Police said the man has been in touch and has "really helped out".

Her mother on Sunday said that she got out of the taxi at her student house.

"She was home...simple," she wrote on Facebook.

Humberside Police has not yet commented on this.

More than 70 police officers have been searching for Ms Squire since Friday, with 200 trainee officers drafted in to help.

Forensics officers in white suits and masks were seen at lunchtime on Sunday searching the area close to where she was last seen, with one taking away a screwdriver, claw hammer and a lip gloss found in bushes away in evidence bags.

Image: Police made door-to-door enquiries in Newland near where Ms Squire lived in Hull

Humberside Police superintendent Simon Gawthorpe said they are "extremely concerned" for her welfare.

He asked residents in the area to continue searching their gardens and out buildings in case Libby took shelter there.

Police also want to speak to anyone who was on Haworth Street on the night between 11.30pm and 12.30am "to understand Libby's movements that night".

A University of Hull spokesman said they were "deeply concerned" about the missing student.

"We are working closely with Humberside Police to support their search for Libby and offering support to Libby's family at this distressing time," he said.

:: Anybody driving in the area with a dash cam between 11pm on Thursday and 3am on Friday should contact police on 101. Anyone with information should also contact police on 101.