THE parents of Nicola Cole have spoken of their relief at the safe return of their daughter.

Irene and Steven Cole were reunited with Nicola in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

"We are delighted to have her home. She is tired but seems OK," said Mr Cole.

The circumstances surrounding her return are as yet unclear. Nicola, 15, of Benwell Close, Westlea, disappeared on Saturday October 21. The Greendown School pupil was last seen on her way into Swindon town centre.

When she failed to return home at 7pm her parents raised the alarm. She had always phoned her parents on the occasions she was going to be late.

Police interviewed family and friends and trawled through CCTV footage of the town centre to try and establish her whereabouts.

Mr and Mrs Cole were at a loss to explain Nicola's disappearance. She had been upset about two family bereavements in the last year but recently she was said to be 'absolutely fine.'

With Nicola safe and well, Mr Cole said he wanted to thank everyone who had shown the family such support during their ordeal.

"I would like to thank the Adver for the way it handled the story. The paper dealt with it with feeling," he said. "Friends and family have been really fantastic."

We have had cards and messages of support from so many people. I would just like to take this opportunity to thank all of them."

They said the days without news of Nicola had felt like a 'lifetime'.

Despite police reassurances that 98 per cent of youngsters returned home, the family confessed to thinking about the 'other two per cent.'

Officers received a number of unconfirmed sightings during her 10-day absence and had just started putting up posters of Nicola to try and jog the memories of people who may have seen her.

Whatever the reasons behind Nicola's disappearance and subsequent return, Mr and Mrs Cole are just glad to have their daughter home.

Swindon police spokeswoman Alvina Kumar said: "We are pleased that Nicola is safe and well and has been reunited with her family."