Plea to stay in touch

A 60-year-old Australian woman who went missing for eight years when she was young has appealed for people who have left their families to get back in touch to ease their pain.

Antonia Williams said she left home as a pregnant 17-year-old to be with the man she loved and did not get back in touch with her family until eight years later.

Police yesterday launched the 2008 National Missing Persons Week.

Assistant Commissioner Bob Hastings said 60 per cent of the 6398 people reported missing in Victoria in 2007/08 were aged 18 and under.