THE sister of a young mum thought to be on the run with her sex-offender boyfriend has urged her to tell them she is safe.

Louise Howarth-Lee, 18, is believed to have travelled to Jersey with Gerard Hayslop, 26, last month when he skipped bail after being found guilty of child porn offences.

Jersey police are trying to establish if the pair, whose last address was Harold Street, Burnley, are the two missing kayakers who prompted a massive search off island's coast when they failed to return their rented boats last month.

Hayslop's father, also called Gerard Hayslop, has since received a phone call from his estranged son saying that they had used the kayaks to paddle to France to avoid the French authorities. He said he was in Lyon and needed cash.

Now Howarth-Lee's sister is seeking a similar reassurance that her sister has not come to any harm. Vicky Howarth, of Burnley, said: "My sister has not really spoken to the family since the allegations were made against Ged and she stuck by him.

"They have been together since she was about 16. But we are still worried that something may have happened to her. We would just like to know that she is OK.

"The first we knew of her possible location was when we read about it in the Telegraph. I have phoned the police in Jersey but they say there is nothing more they can tell me."

She added: "If they did go to France by kayak it would have been dangerous and no one can officially tell us if Louise landed or if she is still out there."

Mother-of-one Howarth Lee and Hayslop are thought to have given false details to their Jersey campsite before they disappeared, saying that they were Andrew Keeble and Hannah Tye from Healey Wood Road, Burnley.

Miss Howarth said: "Louise changed her name from Coupe by deed poll a while back and I know Ged uses a few different names. They have probably used a lot more. It could be difficult to find them."

Mr Haslop Snr, of Hollingreave Road, Burnley, said his son had mentioned he was with Louise and that the pair had paddled over as neither had passports.

"I have not actually spoken to Louise since February," said Miss Howarth, "but she is my sister and I am still concerned for her safety. "

Hayslop Jnr, was convicted at Burnley Crown Court earlier this year of 20 counts of making an indecent photo of a child. He had claimed he downloaded child porn for research.