A teenager whose disappearance sparked a major police inquiry may have called the emergency services several times on the day she vanished, an inquest has heard.

Gaia Pope was reported missing from her home near Swanage, Dorset, on November 7, 2017 and her disappearance prompted a massive campaign from family and friends to find her.

The body of the 19-year-old, who suffered from severe epilepsy, was found by police search teams in undergrowth between Dancing Ledge and Anvil Point, close to the Swanage coastal path, 11 days later.

Knowledge of the calls has only emerged in a statement from an anonymous Dorset Police whistleblower to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is investigating the force's response to the initial missing person inquiry.

The hearing in Bournemouth heard the identity of the officer called Officer X is currently only known to the coroner and the IOPC.

The officer has alleged in a statement to the police watchdog that Miss Pope had telephoned the force on the day she vanished and the calls were terminated by police because she was "abusive".

Rachael Griffin, senior coroner for Dorset, told the hearing Officer X was already a witness to the inquest and in the future she would consider issues of anonymity and special measures for them.

The coroner asked Dorset Police to undertake a review of its disclosure to ensure all relevant material had been disclosed to the court.

Beatrice Collier, representing the chief constable of Dorset Police, said it had been claimed the person who made the calls was "abusive and incoherent".

Sophy Miles, representing several members of the Pope family, said other evidence from call handlers suggested there had been up to five calls on the day the teenager vanished.

Miss Miles said the teenager's aunt, Talia Pope, had phoned the police and the recording captured an officer say this was the fifth call they had received.

A further pre-inquest hearing will take place in February, with the jury inquest due to begin on April 25 next year.

A post-mortem examination confirmed she had died from hypothermia.

In a statement afterwards, Miss Pope's family said: "Today has been a very difficult day for Gaia's family but Officer X's courage in coming forward has given us hope.

"There are no words to express our gratitude for the integrity they have shown in coming forward.

"This is the standard that we should be able to expect from all public servants and we believe their courageous decision may well save lives in the future.

"We would ask that anyone else who has concerns or relevant information to share come forward.

"It is only through honest reflection and accountability that our family and our community can hope to heal from this, confident that lives in the future may be saved."