Midwife Samantha Eastwood missing for nearly a week - BBC News
The NHS worker has not used her bank cards or car since she was last seen leaving work on Friday.
Samantha Eastwood was last seen leaving work on Friday morning

A scream was heard near the home of a midwife who has been missing for nearly a week, police have said.

Samantha Eastwood, 28, was last seen leaving Royal Stoke University Hospital at 07:45 BST on Friday and did not return later for her night shift.

She has not used her bank cards or car since going missing, police believe.

Det Supt Simon Duffy said the report by neighbours of hearing a scream "forms part of one of a number of theories" regarding Ms Eastwood's disappearance.

The noise was heard in the vicinity of Ms Eastwood's address in Stockton Brook, Stoke-on-Trent, at about 14:00 on Friday.

Samantha Eastwood is recently single though had been planning to marry in June, police said

Det Supt Duffy said he was unable to comment further on this element of the investigation.

The force is treating her case as a "high-risk missing person" inquiry.

A 32-year-old man from Stoke-on-Trent, who was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of kidnap following her disappearance, has been released under investigation.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The last CCTV footage of the missing midwife has been released

Several locations are being searched and the public has been urged to report any sightings of vehicles parked in "strange locations", isolated areas or lay-bys.

Det Supt Duffy said: "As far as we can ascertain, she's taken no bank cards with her.

"That has obviously ramped up the concern because we can't see there's been any access to finances through usual means, and similarly, the vehicle as well.

"That just leads us to say it is totally out of character."

Police are treating the disappearance of Samantha Eastwood as a "high risk missing person" inquiry

Police said she had been in a relationship and engaged, but it had been broken off earlier in the year and she is currently single and living alone.

A post shared on Facebook indicated that Ms Eastwood appeared to have been selling her wedding dress on an online marketplace.

Speaking to the BBC on Thursday, Liz Rix, chief nurse at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, said: "The way her colleagues talk about Sam, it's clear that she is an absolutely dedicated and committed midwife.

"We do call ourselves a family and one of our family is missing.

"We want to see Sam back where she belongs, working with the team that absolutely loves her."

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. "One of our family is missing", says chief nurse Liz Rix

Earlier on social media, Ms Rix said it had been a "difficult week" for staff at Royal Stoke University Hospital where Ms Eastwood works.

She added that when Ms Eastwood did not turn up for work "her colleagues immediately knew something was not right".

"Everyone here is praying for her safe return and our thoughts are with Sam's family.

"If Sam reads this, I just want to say that we really miss you and we just want to know that you are safe", she said.

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