CONCERN is mounting for the welfare of two men who were in the North Tawton area shortly before they went missing over two weeks ago.

No trace has been found of Ben Smale and George Webb from Exeter despite extensive local and nationwide investigations by relatives and the police.

Ben, 22, and George, 23, disappeared on July 30 and neither has made contact with their families. It is now known the pair were in the North Tawton and Copplestone area shortly before they went missing.

Ben's dad Bob Smale appealed to residents to think back to July 30 to see if they remembered seeing them or George's blue Volvo 480 car, registration number J165 UHB.

The car may have been abandoned somewhere. Anyone who may have seen it is asked to contact the police.

Mr Smale, who lives at Chulmleigh, said the pair may be hiding out in an outbuilding in a rural area, or may have left Devon and walked into new jobs and new lives.

Ben and George — a painter and decorator —have known each other since their school days and have worked together on building sites.

Ben is extremely well known in Exeter, and worked behind the bar at the Arena nightclub and restoring the Mint Methodist Church in Fore Street. He had plans to set up his own business.

He left his wallet at home and did not take any clothes with him.

Inspector Richard Baker of Exeter Police said their enquiries had stretched to Scotland and Ireland but to no avail.

'We are increasingly worried about their welfare,' he said. 'We would urge them, or someone who knows their whereabouts, to come forward and let their families know they are safe and well.'

Ben has a tattoo of barbed wire going around the top of his left arm. He has a goatee beard and sideburns, wears an earring and is quite muscular. He is 1.7m tall and was wearing a white T-shirt with a '555 Seoul' logo and light blue jeans.

George is described as 1.85m tall, thin build, with long braids in his hair. He was wearing light blue jeans and a dark blue T-shirt covered in paint. He has a Harley Davidson tattoo on the top of his right arm.

Enquiries are ongoing with help from the Missing Persons' Bureau. Any information should go to Sgt Matt Lawler on 08705 777444.