By Lauren Crimp of RNZ

• Police are appealing for sightings of 12-year-old William Walmsley, missing since Saturday night in Wellington.
• His father, Andrew Walmsley, says the disappearance is out of character and is worried for his safety.
• William was last seen wearing a red hoodie, black trackpants, and green Crocs in central Wellington.

The father of a 12-year-old boy missing in Wellington says his son’s disappearance is out of character and he’s worried for his safety.

Police are appealing for sightings of William Walmsley from Karori who has not been seen since Saturday night.

He was last seen in central Wellington wearing a red hoodie, black trackpants and green Crocs, his father Andrew Walmsley said.

“He was out in the Wellington CBD with a couple of friends ... the other two have subsequently been found at different times, and William is still missing,” he said.

As far as Walmsley knew, his son had been on his own after parting ways with his friends about 7.30pm or 8pm that evening.

An acquaintance reported seeing William around Courtenay Place about midnight, and there had been a couple of reported sightings late on Saturday night and early on Sunday morning, he said.

William had stayed out overnight with a friend once before — but this was different, said Walmsley.

Through tears he told RNZ he was feeling “pretty awful, really worried for his safety”.

“He’s quite a sociable kid so it’s unusual that he would stay out this long on his own, whether that means he’s met someone else that he knows in town, or he’s found someone else, we just don’t know.

“We haven’t had any real sightings of him for a little while now, so we’re just really not sure what to think.”

The police had been helpful but not had any luck either, said Walmsley.

“We really just want him to come home, we’re really worried about him, if he can just get in touch or make his way home, that’s the most important thing.”

William had a phone with him — which his family believed was out of battery — and a Snapper card, which was now out of credit.

“He’s had a number of friends messaging and calling him, he sorta stopped responding to things early on Sunday, we think that means his phone’s gone flat,” said Walmsley.

He described his son as tall and lanky, and younger than he looked — he could be mistaken for 14 or 15.

Police continue to appeal for sightings.

- RNZ