Aissa Hough disappeared last Wednesday and was found by police six days later, in Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire. She says she is now looking forward to spending more time with her family.

She told police officers and her mother, Cindy, that she had spent the time alone, and, speaking from her home in Goldings , she insisted she would not consider running away again.

The 13-year-old Northampton Academy student said: "Everything just got to me so I ran away.

"I felt like I didn't have anyone to talk to. I find it really difficult to explain when things are getting me down.

"That's definitely one thing I've learnt and now I know I need to tell people if I've got a problem, and talk to people instead of bottling it up.

"I won't run away again because it was really hard.

"I didn't like being on my own and I really missed my mum and my brothers and sisters.

"I wouldn't recommend it to anyone my age, in fact I wouldn't recommend it to anyone at all. It's better to tell people what the problem is.

"I only stayed away because I was scared of coming back. I thought I was in trouble."

Aissa, of Crestline Court, was reunited with her family on Tuesday afternoon after police tracked her down in Leighton Buzzard, where she was collected by her uncle.

She has not yet returned to school but her mother said they were working closely with Northamptonshire Police family liaison officers to help get the family "back on track".

Cindy, aged 30, said: "I'm so relieved she's home, I'm over the moon.

"We have got a lot to talk about but we are working through things slowly so I hope it will be better now.

"I just want to spend a lot more time with Aissa and do a lot more with her."