British High Commission spokesperson Ms. Alison Kemp yesterday said that the High Commission has not been asked by London to help with the ongoing effort to track down female soldier Heidi Cochrane who had arrived in Colombo. Asked whether the High Commission has no interest in the missing soldier, Ms. Kemp said "we haven’t been asked by London to help them with their inquiries".

According to a London datelined Reuter report the soldier, highlighted as the female face of the British army, has been absent without leave for the last seven months. "She subsequently sent messages to her friends from Colombo challenging the army to come and get her if they can be bothered."

She had disappeared in July last year. The 24-year-old married soldier, had run off with another officer. Cochrane had vanished while on exercise in Cyprus and had not contacted her regiment — 16 Regiment Royal Artillery — or her family since, the report quoted the London Evening Standard as saying.

Lieutenant Colonel Robert Kendall, Defence Adviser at the High Commission yesterday said that the army would be making inquiries through proper channels in this regard.

Lance bombardier Cochrane was believed to have left Cyprus with Jason Archer, a married sergeant. Both disappeared on July 30th last year. Their disappearance came to light only after Cochrane’s photograph was printed on the frontpage of the Daily Telegraph showing her in battledress and smiling behind the telescopic sight of an SA80 assault rifle.(SF)