The disappearance of two 10-year-old girls on their way to school became increasingly ominous last night after police admitted that the trail was stone-cold.
Although Det Supt Jeremy Paine tried to remain upbeat about the fate of Charlene Lunnon and Lisa Hoodless, the lack of a breakthrough had left him contemplating the worst.
Detectives have started to trace registered paedophiles in Hastings, East Sussex, and the search for the girls has been extended to outlying areas, beaches and clifftops.
Three hundred officers, 50 military police, and 50 Ghurkas from the Princess of Wales Regiment were all searching the neighbourhood yesterday.
Mr Paine said his "gut feeling" was that Charlene and Lisa had run away and were out of the county, possibly in London.
There were three potential sightings of the girls in Plumstead, south-east London, on Wednesday morning and another near the crematorium in Ruislip, west London, where there is a memorial plaque to Charlene's mother, who died in February 1997.
Detectives also believe the girls might have gone to West Drayton, Middlesex, where Charlene lived formerly.
Mr Paine said those leads had given him hope they were alive and well, but stressed there was no concrete evidence.
"I don't know whether we are dealing with a runaway or something more sinister. Not all of the sightings can be right. I must believe that they are capable of being away from home and school and sustaining themselves for so long, because the alternative doesn't bear thinking about."
The police are drawing some comfort from the fact that both girls had talked of leaving home because of family problems. Lisa is understood to have been upset about tensions between herself and her brother and sister.
With the Met Office predicting fog and freezing temperatures last night, Charlene's father, Mr Keith Lunnon, said he was praying that the girls had found shelter. "I'm trying to be positive but we are all distraught. I had no indication that she was planning to run away. Charlene, I love you very much. I just want you to come home."