Missing British backpacker’s bag found on rock near beach where she vanished

Search teams have found a purple rucksack belonging to missing British backpacker Amelia Bambridge in Cambodia.

Her belongings were still inside the bag found near to the beach where she was last seen on the island of Koh Rong on Wednesday night.

Scuba teams and government officials today joined police and volunteers in the search for the missing backpacker.

Amelia, 21, disappeared after attending a beach party with fellow travellers on the popular tourist island.

Search teams have been using a drone to scour the dense jungle and coastline of the small island just off the coast of the country.

Pictures showed the rucksack belonging to the tourist from Worthing, West Sussex, on rocks close to the shoreline.

Police said items found in her bag included a small purse, several packs of over-the-counter medication, her mobile phone, a phone charger, headphones, bank cards, a watch, a lighter, a pen, a tourist SIM card, a small padlock, a nail file and a key ring.

Her friends said a purse Amelia used on the night was found in the early hours of Thursday morning in a bar where the party was held – a 40 minute walk from her hostel, the Nest Beach Club.

Her passport was still at the hostel, where she was due to check out of at noon on Saturday.

Amelia’s mother Linda Bambridge, 52, has flown out to Cambodia to assist in the search.

She said: ‘This is very out of character, she is normally so organised.

‘I don’t know what to think.

‘The police have confirmed she is missing – apparently the embassy is closed until Monday.

‘There doesn’t seem to be any urgency. Her friend is still there as they were due to leave the island today, but she hasn’t left because Amelia is missing.’

The Lucie Blackman Trust, which helps families of missing people, said in a Facebook post that Amelia was last seen at a party on Police Beach.

She was wearing a lilac floral shirt and beige cycling shorts.

Relatives have accessed her Instagram page and posted an appeal for information.

The post reads: ‘Amelia has been missing for 2 days. ‘She was last seen at the police beach party in Koh Rong at around 3am, and was wearing a tropical print shirt.

‘Her bag was found at the bar where the party was and she has not checked out of her hostel or turned up to the boat she was meant to be getting to another island with a friend.

‘We are all very concerned, please share and message @hannahclrk or @georgiebambridge if you know or have seen anything.

‘She has a cow tattoo on her forearm and two cat tattoos on her legs, sometimes wears glasses and has curly hair.’

Amelia went travelling for the first time after finishing an apprenticeship at Brighton Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College.

Ryan Harris, 18, was part of a group travelling with Amelia after he met her in his first week in Cambodia.

He claimed that Cambodia police indicated nothing would be done until she was missing for more than 72 hours.

Ryan planned to link back up with Miss Bambridge on another island called Siem Reap after they parted company on a neighbouring island.

He said: ‘From my experience I would say it is out of character for her not to come back after a few hours and it is a small island.

‘Even if you go your separate ways after a few drinks you see people again ten or 20 minutes later.

‘She should have come back by now.’

Ryan explained that the hostel held passports to ensure customers paid the bill but that Miss Bambridge had not gone back for hers.

He added: ‘She hasn’t gone back for that or checked out which raises a red flag.

‘It is nearly 48 hours now, that’s a long time not to be seen on such a small island.’

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: ‘We are assisting the family of a British woman who has been reported missing in Cambodia and are in close contact with the Cambodian police.’