CONCERNS are continuing to grow for a schizophrenia sufferer who has been missing for more than a week without his medication.

Arthur Thompson, 54, left Heightside House Nursing Home, in Newchurch Road, Rawtenstall, at around 10.30am on September 11 and has not been seen since.

There were a number of possible sightings of him later that day sat on a bench near to the bus stop opposite the Red Lion Pub and Higher Cloughfold Stores on Newchurch Road.

Officers believe that he could have travelled to the Middleton area of Manchester, where it is thought he grew up, but they cannot rule out that he could have stayed in Rossendale.

There were also possible sightings of him in the Millbeck Road area of Middleton at around 6pm on September 12 and close to Middleton Gardens at around 6am on September 13.

Mr Thomspson suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and is not thought to have taken his medication for more than a week.

He is not thought to have a bus pass with him but he is thought to have some cash, and he may be living on the streets.

Mr Thompson was described as white, 6ft 2ins tall of a slim build with short, straight grey receding hair and brown eyes.

He was last seen wearing a white shirt, black trousers and a beige coat. He is known to walk with a prominent stoop to the right and often talks to himself.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting reference LC-20140911-1328 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.