Mother and three-year-old son missing for months amid family court battle have connections to King’s Lynn

Three-year-old Olly Sheridan, who has gone missing with his mother Ellie YarrowSanders (not pictured). Photo: Patrick Sheridan/PA Wire

Ellie Yarrow-Sanders, 26, vanished with Olly Sheridan in July, in a situation the child's civil engineer father Patrick Sheridan described as a 'living nightmare'

Mr Sheridan, 45, who has not seen his son or ex-partner for months, said he was 'sick with worry'.

A High Court judge who has analysed the case at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London on Wednesday issued an urgent appeal for information about Olly and his mother.

Mr Justice Williams said he was gravely concerned.

Olly Sheridan and his father Patrick, as the three-year-old boy has gone missing with his mother Ellie YarrowSanders. Photo: Patrick Sheridan/PA Wire

Family court hearings have been staged in private and journalists have been barred from identifying family members, who come from the Basildon area of Essex, involved.

But Mr Justice Williams said he was lifting the identity bar in the hope that publicity would help find Olly and Miss Yarrow-Sanders.

Mr Sheridan said there was evidence to suggest that Olly and Miss Yarrow-Sanders might have been to Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.

Her family also had links to London and King's Lynn, he said.

Ellie YarrowSanders, who has gone missing with her three-year-old son Olly (not pictured). Photo: Patrick Sheridan/PA Wire

Mr Justice Williams said his level of concern was such that he had decided to make Olly a ward of court - a move which places responsibility for a child directly in a judge's hands.

He urged Miss Yarrow-Sanders to return Olly and said evidence showed that children who were abducted by parents suffered long-term emotional consequences.

'We're trying everything to find Olly but it is clear that extensive steps have been taken to conceal where he is,' said Mr Sheridan.

'He's been gone for months now and I miss him every single day.

'It's just been a living nightmare no parent should have to go through and I'm sick with worry'.

He added: 'The run up to Christmas has been unbearable.'

Mr Sheridan went on: 'My message to Ellie is simple: 'Please come back so that we can see Olly's alright'.'

Mr Sheridan is being represented by specialist lawyers from law firm Irwin Mitchell. Barrister Andrew Bagchi QC had asked Mr Justice Williams to allow detail of the case to be made public in the hope of finding Olly and Miss Yarrow- Sanders.