The worried mum of missing student Richard Okorogheye has shared the "complete nightmare" her life has become since the disappearance of her son.

Richard, who has sickle cell disease, left his family home in the Ladbroke Grove area of West London on the evening of March 22.

He was reported missing two days later.

He was last seen on CCTV in Loughton in the early hours of March 23 walking towards Epping Forest.

The Metropolitan Police have continued their search of the forest but nothing of relevance to the investigation has been found.

Richard's mum, Evidence Joel, told The Guardian that waiting for information on her son's whereabouts has been "hell".

She said: "Everyday is a nightmare for me now.

"I feel completely helpless. Helpless, and also, sorry to use this word, but I feel useless. Because I want to go out there, to do something to look for him, search for him, anything. But I can't."

The worried mum has remained at home in case her missed son makes contact.

Scotland Yard previously said detectives continue to keep an open mind about the Oxford Brookes University student's whereabouts.

On Thursday, police said Richard's phone has not been in use since his disappearance.

Ms Joel previously said her son had been "struggling to cope" with university pressures and had been shielding during lockdown.

Richard had been shielding during the pandemic - only leaving the house to go to hospital for regular blood transfusions for sickle cell disease.

His mum said she had no idea what could have prompted her son's disappearance and has called on his online community of friends to contact police if they have any information.

In a message to her son, Ms Joel said: "Everybody misses you. And we love you very much. We want you home. Please come home."

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting 21MIS008134.