VIDEO: Police divers search Parkgate canal for missing Alena

Investigating officer, Supt Iain Chorlton, said the canal search was not an indication 38-year-old Alena Grlakova was in the water - just one line of enquiry.

Divers have been searching a stretch of the Sheffield and Keadby Canal, behind Parkgate Retail Park, since yesterday (Wednesday) after Ms Grlakova, of Thompson Drive, Swinton, went missing on December 26.

A team of eight divers are taking it in turns to search a 60-metre stretch of the canal during daylight hours and are expected to be at the site until tomorrow (Friday).

Ms Grlakova, a Slovakian Roma, was last seen with an unknown man on Scrooby Street, Swinton, at around 7.15pm on Boxing Day.

A team of 25 officers and police divers are working on the operation to find Ms Grlakova, whose family in Slovakia are said to be “gravely concerned” for her welfare.

Supt Chorlton said: “Clearly, searching the canal is one of a number of lines of enquiry.

“This is not an indication that we strongly suspect Ms Grlakova is in the canal.

“There have been other lines of enquiry that we are investigating but it’s still a live, unexplained missing persons enquiry.”

Supt Chorlton said officers were investigating other potential sighting of Ms Grlakova which had been reported since the investigation into her disappearance was escalated on Tuesday (29).

“Her parents in Slovakia are becoming increasingly concerned about her, as are we,” said Supt Chorlton.

“We have got a family liaison officer in daily contact with her family with the help of an interpreter.

“It’s her chaotic lifestyle that makes her vulnerable and it’s that vulnerability that causes us some concerns.”

Supt Chorlton said Ms Grlakova was last seen on Scrooby Street, at around 7.15pm on Boxing Day, speaking to a "stocky, plump man", around 5ft 7ins to 5ft 9ins tall, aged beteween 30 and 50, who was wearing a dark coat and possibly a hat.

He said: “We now believe that Ms Grlakova came out of the Travellers Inn pub, turned left on to Greasbrough Road, leading on to School Street, before turning right on to Scrooby Street.

“As Ms Grlakova continues walking up Scrooby Street, we now have information to suggest that a man walked past her, in the opposite direction."

Supt Chorlton said the man wished Ms Grlakova a 'Merry Christmas' and she turned around to walk back towards Barbot Hall Road.

Supt Chorlton appealed to anyone who saw the man described or Ms Grlakova to come forward with information.

“We now know that she was wearing a thin black sweatshirt with writing on which said something similar to ‘little black sweat', black tracksuit bottoms with white on the side and possibly sandals,” he said.

“She wasn’t wearing a coat.

“We’re grateful to everyone who has come forward with information so far but we still need more to piece together where Alena went next and who she may have seen or been in contact with since Boxing Day.”

Contact South Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 450 of January 15, or call the dedicated incident room directly on 01709 443540.

You can also pass information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.