The hunt for a missing Eastbourne teenager whose belongings were found at a roadside near his former home in Australia was stepped up today.

Christopher Ballintyne, 17, failed to contact his family in Melbourne hours after arriving in the city from his home in Sussex.

Australian police were today setting up roadblocks and questioning drivers near the area where his wallet, luggage, mobile phone and British passport were found last week.

Christopher was understood to have arrived in the city late last Tuesday and caught a taxi to his old home in Somerville, south of Melbourne.

He woke up the new owners of the house at around 3am on Wednesday morning and after leaving the house, his belongings were discovered by a roadside.

Police believe he had access to around £5,000 but do not suspect he was robbed.

Christopher and his family lived in Australia for ten years after emigrating there from Glasgow with his parents in 1988 but returned to Britain five years ago.

The teenager's mother, Barbara, of Cavendish Place, Eastbourne, is being kept informed of progress by Australian police.

His late father, Leslie, was a former brewer at the Long John whisky distillery in Glasgow.

Christopher's aunt, Joy, still lives in Melbourne.

She said: "Why did he turn up unannounced in this country and go to his old house which had long been sold? It's all very odd.

"He was not very happy returning to England but I'm surprised he didn't tell any of his Australian relatives about his visit." She described her nephew as a loner.

Police were hoping to trace a taxi driver who may have given Christopher a lift from Melbourne airport.

Victoria Police, said: "We are appealing to anybody who might have seen him to come forward."