by Nick Lillitos

nlillitos@thekmgroup.co.uk

“Come home – your little boy just looks at the window and is missing you.”

That is the heartfelt plea to 23-year-old Jack Hilding, who has gone missing amid serious fears for his well-being.

It comes from his ex-partner Jemma Burton, who lives with their two-year-old son Jack junior in Tennyson Avenue, Canterbury.

She has joined the chorus of appeals for Jack’s safe return after he disappeared from his grandfather’s home in Biddenden on October 1. He had said he was going out for a cigarette and fresh air.

Jemma said: “My message to Jack is please come home. His son is really missing him, standing at the window asking where has his daddy gone.

“Little Jack wants to play with his dad in the park. It’s vital he comes home safely and sees his little boy, which is the most important thing in his life.”

Jack’s disappearance sparked a massive hunt around Biddenden involving tracker dogs and a helicopter. His father, also called Jack and living in Staplehurst, believes his son’s world collapsed after he split from Jemma.

He said: “Jack was in a very depressed state after splitting up with his partner of many years.

“We’re desperate for him to make contact as he appeared near suicidal. It’s a love story gone wrong. Jemma is with another man and Jack was crushed.

“His disappearance has made me ill – I don’t know if he’s alive or dead. He told me if another bloke brings up his child up he wouldn’t want to live."

Jack is a familiar face in Canterbury and known locally as Jack Scab. He had spent time living at his grandmother Esther Scamp’s home in Reed Avenue, off Sturry Road.

He is 5ft 7in, of slim build, and was wearing black Adidas trainers with luminous orange stripes, blue jeans and a grey wool jumper.

Det Insp Jon Holl said: “We are extremely concerned about him and his family is desperate to hear from him.”

Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting incident reference 04-1615