Fears are growing for the welfare of a teenage girl left in charge of three-month-old triplets by her parents.

The 15-year-old, believed to be called Laura Smith, rang the accident and emergency department at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital at 1.30am yesterday.

She told staff her parents had gone away and she was responsible for three younger children in the house. Staff said she sounded incoherent.

The girl said she lived in a road called Bankside, but all attempts by police to find her have failed. Oxfordshire has four Banksides - in Oxford, Banbury, Kidlington and East Hendred. A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: "The caller gave serious concern for her and the welfare of the children in her care.

"She failed to provide sufficient details to trace her and all other lines of inquiry at this stage have proved negative."

Police are urging her, or anyone who knows her, to call 01865 266000, quoting reference 217, or call the Oxford Mail newsdesk on 01865 425500.

Story date: Monday 10 April

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.