THE family of missing South Cheshire student Steven Cook have spoken of their struggle to come to terms with his disappearance.

Steven's father Norman Cook said he and his wife Patricia have spent the long days since he vanished sat by the phone waiting for any news and struggling to return to normality.

Steven, 20, a student at the University of Liverpool, went missing while on holiday five weeks ago, at the resort of Malia, in Crete.

He travelled with a group of 15 former Sandbach School friends departing from Manchester for a week-long holiday on August 30.

The group arrived on August 31, with Steven disappearing between 12.30am and 1am on Thursday, September 1, after being separated from a friend in a busy bar.

Family members who had been on the island looking for Steven, a Liverpool fan, have returned to their Swallow Drive, Sandbach home.

His parents travelled last week to Steven's term-time home in Liverpool to pick up his belongings. The deadline for him to enrol for his final year has passed.

Steven's eldest brother Chris has also found it hard to continue his life without his brother and has only returned to work this week.

Mr Cook said: 'We are now leaving the search down to the authorities both here and in Crete.

'We are sat down by the phone and by the computer every day, just waiting for some news.

Anyone with information should call the Missing Persons Helpline on 0500 700 7000 or visit the website: www.findstevencook.co.uk