Since her disappearance hundreds of residents in Croydon and Merton have volunteered their time, handing out posters and liaising with police to conduct their own searches.

Community group New Addington Pathfinders (NAP) have printed over 70,000 posters, that have been distributed across Croydon and surrounding areas.

Kirsty Pearce of NAP said: "We have been co-ordinating searches with the police who have told us where to search, how to search and what to so with anything we find."

In Pollards Hill where Tia lives with her mum, step-dad and two brothers, dozens of posters have been put up in shop windows, with hundreds more being handed out in the street and at community centres.

One resident, who did not want to be named, said: "It is horrible when you see it on TV and it is someone you don’t know, but when it is right on your doorstep and one of your own.

"Pollards Hill has always looked after each other. Everyone is absolutely devastated; I think if it wasn’t for the public it wouldn’t have been as wide spread."

In a televised appeal Tia’s uncle David Sharp, urged his niece to contact her family and come home.

Supported by two friends and wearing a t-shirt with his niece’s picture on it, the 28-year-old said: "Tia is a 12-year-old normal girl. She has never run away, she has got no reason to run away.

"She is not an adult, but she is very clued up on local areas and travelling and people she knows.

"I just want to say to Tia, please come home. You are not in any trouble. Anyone that knows where she is or has information please come to us. Please phone the police.

"I want to thank the police for doing everything they can and the public for being our support and being out there day and night. I urge you not to stop."

One worried neighbour said since Tia's disappearance children were either no longer playing out on the estate or were doing so in groups.

Dad-of-two Dale Robertson, said his daughter had played with Tia on occassion.

The 44-year-old said: "My daughter played with her once or twice, but I never met Tia.

"We try to be a nice, friendly community. My daughter has hand drawn posters and i have printed some out and laminated them and put them on lampposts.

"All we want is for her to be home safe and sound like everybody else.

"My boy went missing once for about 20 minutes and that was heart in the mouth, I can't imagine how her parents must be feeling."

Anyone with information should call the incident room on 0208 721 4005 or Missing People on 116 000 quoting reference 12MIS025216