The devastated partner of a missing Gateshead dad has made a heartfelt appeal for him to come home.
Chantell Smith has not seen her partner Kyle Bird since Friday, April 22, and has pleaded for him to get in touch. She said she received a text from him on Saturday April 23, just after 3pm but neither Chantell or his family have heard anything from him since.
Kyle, who turned 34 on May 7, was last seen in Rowlands Gill near Maguires Chip shop. A police investigation has shown that he may have been in the vicinity of the River Derwent near Blaydon Rugby Club.
Now missing for 17 days, Chantell said this is highly out of character for Kyle, from Chopwell, who usually comes home to her and their six-year-old daughter Annalise. However, Chantell said just two weeks prior to Kyle going missing, he lost his factory job which she said impacted him greatly.
Chantell, 23, said: "Kyle worked full-time but two weeks prior to him going missing, he lost his job and went off the rails a bit.
"It's not the first time this has happened, but he's never been missing this long before without getting in touch with someone. We've got a six-year-old daughter who is just worrying so much.
"Kyle, please just come home and get in touch with someone and let us know you're safe. Even if you don't want to come back home just let someone know you're alright.
"If I could, I would just tell him to get in touch with someone. His daughter is worrying and his girlfriend is going out of her mind, we all are."
Kyle's absence has particularly taken its toll on his daughter who "wished for her daddy to come home". Chantell said: "My daughter is wondering what's going on and keeps asking where her dad is. She picked up a flower that kids make wishes on and said she made a wish but said she couldn't tell me what it was.
"Then she said: 'Mummy, I'm going to tell you my wish, it was to bring daddy home.' That's just not nice to hear as a mother."
Officers are growing increasingly concerned for his welfare and inquiries have been ongoing to trace Kyle since he was first reported missing. Northumbria Police is now asking the public for their assistance and asking for anyone who might have seen a man matching Kyle’s description to get in touch.
Kyle is described as a white male, around 6ft 1in, with short brown hair and neck tattoos that say "Nanna, Mam and Kyle." He has a small scar on his left cheek underneath his eye which reaches the top of his ear and was last seen wearing a grey tracksuit, black North Face jacket, and black trainers.
Kyle often visits the Blaydon shopping precinct, Chopwell and Rowlands Gill and frequently travels between these areas by bus.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts, is asked to contact police via the 'Tell Us Something' page of their website or by calling 101 quoting log NP-20220425-0045.
