‘DAD’S here’ – those were the desperate words of the father of missing nine-year-old Millie Whitehead-Richmond.

Millie, who suffers from cerebral palsy and her mother Jude Richmond, 41, were last seen at their South Cerney home on Sunday evening.

Yesterday Millie’s father Neil Whitehead fought back tears as he stood at the last spot outside their lakeside home where they were seen.

Speaking directly to the daughter he described as “very beautiful and very articulate”, he said: “Millie, I’m here. Dad’s here. I love you to bits.

“You’re the most important person in my life. Give us a call.”

Jude, 41, and Amelia, known as Millie, who has cerebral palsy, were reported missing by a concerned neighbour at 10.15am Monday morning.

They were last seen at their home in The Landings, South Cerney, the previous evening.

Police searching the area around their home said concerns had grown for Jude and Millie’s welfare because the mobility aids Millie uses to walk had been left at their Cotswolds home.

Jude is also not believed to have taken her purse or credit cards and left the house unlocked.

Jude and Millie were last seen at around 6.30pm on Sunday.

Appealing for his daughter’s safe return, Neil said: “I want people to search under every stepping stone you can to find them.

“That’s the important thing. I feel desperate.

“My appeal is for Jude and Millie, come on and give us a call. Come back.

“Wherever you are, please, please give us a call because it’s just so painful.

“I love Millie very, very much. I love Jude because she’s the mother of my daughter.

“I just want to have them both back.

“Millie is a very beautiful, very articulate girl and she’s a very caring and loving kid.

“Jude is an extremely dedicated mother, a fantastic parent. She’s very close to Millie, they are almost joined together.

“Jude and Millie had been away in New Zealand since June 4. They came back a little unexpectedly on the 12. I came over on Saturday. I was with them from two until 7.30pm.

I hadn’t seen my girl for a long time. It was fantastic.

“Jude was full of energy.

“We talked about the holiday and being away. I was with them for a long while and left feeling good.

“I spent time with Millie and felt Jude was in a happy place.

“Millie means the world to me Although she is disabled and has difficulty walking she’s a magical character.

“If you saw the two of them they would look like they’re very close to each other, having a great time.”

POLICE said concerns for Jude and Millie’s welfare were growing with the time since their disappearance.

Jude and Millie were reported missing at 10.15am on Monday by a concerned member of public.

Police then conducted a search of the house and surrounding areas, scouring the paths where Jude and Millie were known to take walks.

From outside their house yesterday, Insp Owen Hughes said: “We understand that she may be under some pressure at the moment and we have concerns for her welfare.

“We have contacted people she spoke to on the phone saying there was some irrational behaviour. She had been sending some irrational text message.

“There are inquiries going on locally, also in London where we know Jude has friends.

“In addition to the search we are conducting behind the scenes inquiries into bank accounts and CCTV.”

“The latests sighting we have reported was between 5pm and 5.15pm on Sunday when she was seen to leave the property with a male. We are very keen to contact that male.

“We don’t know who this male is and I wouldn’t like to jump to any conclusions.

“The man had his arm round Jude in an affectionate way.

“There are walking aids at the house that Millie uses.

“We don’t believe at this time she has any walking aids with her.

“If anybody is with Millie and Jude we would urge them to call us straight away.”

Last known sightings of Millie and Jude THE last sighting of Jude at her home at 6.30pm on Sunday March 15, Jude and Millie were both seen on two previous occasions that afternoon.

At 4.30pm, Sunday, they were reportedly in Dobbies Garden World, at Siddington, near Cirencester. Police are examining CCTV footage from the premises.

Between 5pm and 5.15pm on Sunday Jude and Millie were seen at the front of their property, coming out of the gate, in the company of man who had his arm around Jude in an affectionate manner. Millie was travelling on her mobility scooter and was ahead of Jude and the unknown man.

The man is described as being white, in his early 40s, around six foot tall, of large build and with broad shoulders. He had dark blonde, short and spikey hair. He was wearing a brown woollen cardigan.