Police focus on Westport after tentative sighting of runaways

Police hunting for three Nelson girls are focusing inquiries on Westport after an unconfirmed sighting of the runaways in the Buller town at lunchtime today.

Before today's tentative sighting at a Westport fish and chip shop at around 12.30pm, the three teenagers had last been seen in the town on Monday afternoon.

Kelly Biggs, 15, Hannah Bailey, 15, and Kimberley Redmond, 14, have made no contact with their parents since they ran away from Nelson on Sunday.

Constable Kathy Talbot, of Nelson Police Youth Aid, said the girls were travelling in a brown Holden Commodore station wagon with a 21-year-old man wanted for questioning by Nelson police.

"We know for sure they're definitely in the company of one male and we are concerned for their safety," Ms Talbot said.

The girls, all schoolmates from Nelson, might also be with another 19-year-old youth, but police have so far been unable to confirm this.

"We're not sure whether there's two of them or he's using the other guy's identity," Ms Talbot said.

She said the pair knew each other and the 21-year-old could "rattle off the other guy's details as quick as a flash".

Nelson police have issued an arrest warrant for the 21-year-old who is wanted for interview about a number of other matters.

Ms Talbot would not elaborate and said the pair's names were unable to be released "at this stage".

She said the disappearance was "totally out of character" for Kelly Biggs, whose parents were distraught.

Kelly is of medium build and 155cm tall with bleached reddish hair and vivid blue eyes.

She was wearing dark pants and a shirt when she told her sister she was going into town to meet her father.

Hannah Bailey is 150cm tall and of thin build with bleached blonde hair. She was wearing a green top and black pants.

Kimberley Redmond is 160cm tall, and thin with blue eyes and brown hair.

The girls went to school together in Nelson and were "good mates".

Ms Talbot said the Holden's registration number was OG9269.

She appealed to the girls to at least contact their parents to let them know they were safe.

- NZPA