POLICE have issued an urgent appeal to help trace a distressed elderly woman who telephoned Weald police headquarters in Ashford on Sunday afternoon appealing for help.

She left a message stating she could not move the left side of her body and asking for a Mr Dowling who would know how to contact her daughter.

After Rural Officer PC Dowling traced all his elderly contacts and established they were well, experts were working to trace to source of the call as officers became increasingly concerned.