Friends and family of missing Nigel Knights gathered this evening at a candle lit vigil to mark a week since the 63-year-old went missing.

More than 100 people packed into St Francis’ Church in Strood to light candles and hold a minutes’ silence, hoping for Mr Knights’ safe return.

His step daughter Nicola Martin said “I think it just shows what a loved man he is, how wonderful he is and how funny he is.

“We’ve got wonderful friends and family and we want him to know that so we can support him as he gets better as well.”

"It’s been so lovely to have everyone come along it s the most emotional I've been since he went missing, with everyone coming up and asking if we're ok.

"When your in it and you have to deal it, it’s so easy just to keep going, but it’s been really comforting to sit there and light a candle and say a prayer and hope."

Mr Knights was last seen on Monday, May 9, when he went on a shopping trip to Morrisons in Strood with his wife Sue.

He had been staying at a caravan park in Allhallows, but had not been feeling himself, and has lost a lot of weight.

A major search of north Kent has been underway for the last week, and the family have praised the emergency services - and the public - for their efforts so far.

Nicola said: "Kent Search and Rescue have been amazing, the police have been amazing and now we are asking everyone to keep sharing the page, keep sharing his image, because someone has seen him.

"We just ask that person to ring 101, tell the poice where they think they saw him and we can find him and get him the help he needs."

Strictly Come Dancing star James Jordan, who lives in Maidstone, is the latest celebrity to support the efforts to find Mr Knights.

His retweet of the appeal follows a tweet by One Direction star Louis Tomlinson yesterday.

He posted: "Really want to help this family get reunited with Nigel. Can we all help?"

It's now been retweeted and liked thousands of times.