The heartbroken family of a teenager who vanished almost three weeks ago have spoken of their agony as police continue to search for them.

The parents and brother and sister of Alex Bendall, who is also known as Alice, say they are going through a ‘living hell’ and the family is ‘broken' without them.

In an interview with the Dorset Echo at their Charminster home - where Alex lives with father Paul, mother Vicky and sister Mary - the family told how, on Saturday, February 11, Alex went out for a walk, telling Mary they would be back shortly.

The 18-year-old never returned to the house and the alarm was raised the next day when their parents returned from a night away.

Paul said: "You can imagine our horror when Alex wasn't there the next morning."

Following police enquiries, the last known sighting of Alex has been confirmed as 7.41pm on February 11 in Cornwall Road, Dorchester.

Dorset Echo:

  • CCTV captures last sighting of Alex  Picture: Dorset Police

They were seen shortly before, at 7.30pm, at Tesco on Weymouth Avenue, Dorchester.

Police searches have been carried out with assistance from the National Police Air Service, Dorset Search and Rescue, Wiltshire Search and Rescue, Hampshire Search and Rescue, Dorset Search Dogs, Hampshire Search & Rescue Dogs and Wessex 4x4.

At the weekend, there was an increased police presence at 'key' locations in the Dorchester and Charminster areas.

They are described as 5ft 6ins tall, of slim build, with short brown hair and they were last seen wearing a green Puffa-style body warmer, a black hooded jumper, dark coloured jeans, Dr. Marten boots with a green lace in one boot and purple lace in the other, a bracelet over the cuff on the right arm and carrying a small backpack.

Dorset Echo:

  • Alex Bendall, also known as Alice, is missing  Picture: Dorset Police

Alex has been described by family members as a caring, sensitive person, quiet and shy with a great sense of humour.

Mum Vicky said: "Alex is always up for helping people, loves to cook, plays the ukelele and loves being with animals." 

Paul added: "[They are] a real champion for animal rights, loves veganism, loves cooking and has converted most of us to that. Alex feels very passionately about ethical and moral things as well, a very genuine character."

Dorset Echo:

  • The Bendall family (from left to right): Will, Alex, also known as Alice, Mary, Vicky and Paul Bendall    Picture: Will Bendall

The family have praised the support from the local community who have helped spread the word and search for their missing child.

Friends, former teachers and members of the local community have all helped in the search for Alex.

The family have also been sent dinners which have been left on the doorstep from concerned neighbours.

While hugely grateful for the support, they are asking the public to continue to keep Alex in the front of their minds. 

Paul said: "We would all like to thank the community, colleagues, police and people that we don't even know."

Vicky said: "You can't underestimate the power that support has when we are going through our living hell. So ‘thank you’ to everybody.

"We of course are pleading, imploring and begging everybody out there to think back to where they were on February 11 and whether they may have seen anything. Please just check your dash cams and door cams because it is not too late to follow a lead and somebody must have seen Alex heading home."

Paul and Vicky also have a heartfelt plea to Alex, in case they read this, which is:

"We love you very much. We miss you, the family's broken without you. And whatever's happened, if you can come home please do. If you can't come home, just let us know that you're okay. We are just living in torment at the moment. We miss you every second of every day."

Paul said: "If we could just see Alex again, we can start living, everything has stopped."

Will, Alex's brother, added: "It would save our lives to see Alex again."

Anyone with information or knowledge as to Alex’s whereabouts is asked to contact Dorset Police at dorset.police.uk/contact or by calling 101, quoting incident number 12:319.