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MISSING: Joy Morgan (Image: Herts Police)

THE FAMILY of a young woman who has been missing since Boxing Day have released an emotional plea for help to find her.

Joy Morgan, a Hertfordshire University midwifery student, was last seen in Ilford.

In a video appeal released just over a week after Joy’s 21st birthday, Carol, her mum, said: “We’re broken. All of us are broken inside. She’s only a girl, she’s so loved by us and we miss her so much."

Appealing directly to Joy yesterday, Carol added: “All we want you to do is come forward, go to the police and talk to a police officer.

“All I want to know, baby, is that you’re alive and well and that’s it.”

Dionne, Joy's sister, who comforted her tearful mum during the video appeal, said: "She's always helping everyone, she's always helping the family."

Joy has links to Ilford, Battersea, Cricklewood, Stevenage and Luton.

On December 27, she made contact with some of her coursemates via Whatsapp. She was reported missing on Thursday, February 7.

DCS Karena Thomas from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit described Joy’s disappearance as “completely out of character”.

Thomas said: “Joy has been missing for over a month and we, along with her family, are growing increasingly concerned for her safety.”

She added: “We are remaining really open minded about how and why Joy may have gone missing. She may have opted to take time out and if that is the case I would urge her to make contact with us on 101 or contact the Missing People charity on 116 000 to let us know she is ok. We just want to know that she is safe and well.

“However, we also need to consider the context in which Joy has gone missing and given the sudden nature of her disappearance and the non-contact with friends, family or with fellow worshippers at her church, at this stage, sadly, we have to consider that she may have come to harm.”

Joy is black, wears glasses and is described as of slim build, around 5ft 5in tall, with black afro-style hair, which she often covers with a scarf.

A 40-year-old man from London was arrested on suspicion of murder and released on bail earlier this month.

PICTURED: The Honda car Joy is known to have travelled in regularly that officers are keen to find

Any information about Joy’s whereabouts can be submitted online here: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/35SA020119R15-PO1

Alternatively, you can stay anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

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