By . Alex Ward . PUBLISHED: . 14:43 EST, 26 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:30 EST, 27 February 2013 . Never came home: A major police search has been launched to find missing mother Karen Simpson who vanished after going out to buy nappies for her baby . A young mother suffering from post-natal depression has sparked a major police hunt after she vanished while going out to buy nappies for her baby daughter. Karen Simpson, 31, had gone to her local Tesco store at 11am on Sunday leaving her three-month-old girl with relatives but never returned home. Today a massive search operation was underway in her home village of Burscough, near Ormskirk, Lancashire into the disappearance of the mother of three who told loved ones she wanted to ‘clear her head’. Mrs Simpson - who also has two young boys and is married to husband Philip - suffered from post-natal depression following the birth of her daughter in November last year and police say they are ‘very concerned’ for her welfare. More than 170 people are involved in the search including 70 police officers plus mountain rescue teams, police divers, the force helicopter and volunteers. In a statement Mrs Simpson's sister Clair Dobrec, who has flown in from her home in Western Australia to help with the search, said: ‘We are devastated by Karen's disappearance which is very out of character. ‘She has now been missing for over 48 hours and the whole family are extremely concerned for her welfare. ‘She is the mother of the children, the youngest is only three-months-old. Karen has been suffering from post-natal depression, for which she was receiving help, and as such we are very concerned for her welfare. ‘Karen, we know you haven't been feeling well and we want you to know that we're all here to support you. We are so worried about you, we are all missing you especially the children. 'Just want to know you are safe': Mrs Simpson's family (pictured with her husband Philip and her two sons) have appealed for her to come home . Police hunt: More than 170 people are involved in the search including 70 police officers plus mountain rescue teams, police divers (pictured searching the canal near where Mrs Simspon went missing), the force helicopter and volunteers . ‘We just want you to know you are . safe. The police and members of the public have been searching for Karen . and we are overwhelmed by the community support. ‘If anyone has seen her or know where she might be, please can you contact the police.’ Karen's other sister Paula Caunce said: ‘The hardest thing at the moment is not knowing what has happened. ‘I . was with her the day before. She was a bit quiet but otherwise OK. She . was supposed to come to mine the next day but never got the chance. We . all just want her home safe.’ Missing mother: Mrs Simpson, who also has two young sons and is married, suffered from post-natal depression following the birth of her daughter last year and police are 'very concerned' for her welfare . A Facebook page set up appealing for . Mrs Simpson to come home has attracted over 2,000 followers as hundreds . of volunteers rallied together to search footpaths, fields and gardens . around the area where she was last seen. Karrin . Burrows, one of Mrs Simpson's close friends who has known her since . high school, said: ‘She has never gone missing before - it came as a . real shock. She is an amazing person. Karen is the life and soul of . anything, she lights up a room. ‘She is always there for everybody and loves her children. They are her whole world. ‘There is not a bad bone in her body. She's friends with everybody and you can see that by the turnout for the search today. Want her home safe: Sister Paula Caunce (pictured left with Mrs Simpson) said the hardest part was not knowing what has happened to her sister . Mrs Simpson's other sister Claire Dobrec, who flew from Western Australia to help with the search, (pictured with brother-in-law Andrew Simpson) said Mrs Simpson was receiving help for post-natal depression . ‘Everyone is worried sick. She was . going to get nappies for the baby and clear her head. We believe she . bought the nappies but not 100 per cent sure.’ Online search: A Facebook page set up appealing for Mrs Simpson's safe return has attracted over 2,000 followers . Det . Ch Insp Andrea Barrow of Lancashire Police said: ‘We're very concerned . for Karen Simpson's welfare. She was last seen by her family at 10.15 on . Sunday morning. She left home address to go to Tesco in Burscough. ‘The last confirmed sighting of Karen is at 10.42am leaving Tesco and she turned towards Liverpool Road area. ‘We have an unconfirmed sighting of her at Red Cat Lane, at its junction at Liverpool Road.’ Insp Barrow said police and members of the public have been searching the area. She said: ‘Over 170 people are actively engaged in research and investigation. Detectives, dogs, officers, mountain rescue and British Transport Police are involved- we're using every resource. ‘This is very much out of character for Karen. She left the address and she is not made any contact with her family since. ‘We do know that she was being treated for post-natal depression after the birth of her third child three months ago. ‘It's a really difficult time for the family.-She's got three young children, the family are devastated and really want all members of the public to help. ‘She had gone to Tesco to get some supplies and to clear her head. But the family said there was no indication at the time that there was anything wrong.’ Mrs Simpson is around 5ft6in, of slim . build and was wearing a dark green jacket, blue jeans, maroon grey scarf . and black boots when she vanished. She has dark brown hair which is . dyed red at the ends. Anyone with information should call police on 101. Hunt HQ: Police vans outside the British Legion Club in Burscough has become the base of operations for the police search in which officers are 'using every resource'
Karen Simpson, 31, went to a Tesco store on Sunday morning .
She never returned home after telling family she wanted to 'clear her head'
More than 170 people are involved in search and police are 'very concerned'
The mother-of-three suffered post-natal depression and was receiving help .
By . Alex Ward . PUBLISHED: . 14:43 EST, 26 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:30 EST, 27 February 2013 . Never came home: A major police search has been launched to find missing mother Karen Simpson who vanished after going out to buy nappies for her baby . A young mother suffering from post-natal depression has sparked a major police hunt after she vanished while going out to buy nappies for her baby daughter. Karen Simpson, 31, had gone to her local Tesco store at 11am on Sunday leaving her three-month-old girl with relatives but never returned home. Today a massive search operation was underway in her home village of Burscough, near Ormskirk, Lancashire into the disappearance of the mother of three who told loved ones she wanted to ‘clear her head’. Mrs Simpson - who also has two young boys and is married to husband Philip - suffered from post-natal depression following the birth of her daughter in November last year and police say they are ‘very concerned’ for her welfare. More than 170 people are involved in the search including 70 police officers plus mountain rescue teams, police divers, the force helicopter and volunteers. In a statement Mrs Simpson's sister Clair Dobrec, who has flown in from her home in Western Australia to help with the search, said: ‘We are devastated by Karen's disappearance which is very out of character. ‘She has now been missing for over 48 hours and the whole family are extremely concerned for her welfare. ‘She is the mother of the children, the youngest is only three-months-old. Karen has been suffering from post-natal depression, for which she was receiving help, and as such we are very concerned for her welfare. ‘Karen, we know you haven't been feeling well and we want you to know that we're all here to support you. We are so worried about you, we are all missing you especially the children. 'Just want to know you are safe': Mrs Simpson's family (pictured with her husband Philip and her two sons) have appealed for her to come home . Police hunt: More than 170 people are involved in the search including 70 police officers plus mountain rescue teams, police divers (pictured searching the canal near where Mrs Simspon went missing), the force helicopter and volunteers . ‘We just want you to know you are . safe. The police and members of the public have been searching for Karen . and we are overwhelmed by the community support. ‘If anyone has seen her or know where she might be, please can you contact the police.’ Karen's other sister Paula Caunce said: ‘The hardest thing at the moment is not knowing what has happened. ‘I . was with her the day before. She was a bit quiet but otherwise OK. She . was supposed to come to mine the next day but never got the chance. We . all just want her home safe.’ Missing mother: Mrs Simpson, who also has two young sons and is married, suffered from post-natal depression following the birth of her daughter last year and police are 'very concerned' for her welfare . A Facebook page set up appealing for . Mrs Simpson to come home has attracted over 2,000 followers as hundreds . of volunteers rallied together to search footpaths, fields and gardens . around the area where she was last seen. Karrin . Burrows, one of Mrs Simpson's close friends who has known her since . high school, said: ‘She has never gone missing before - it came as a . real shock. She is an amazing person. Karen is the life and soul of . anything, she lights up a room. ‘She is always there for everybody and loves her children. They are her whole world. ‘There is not a bad bone in her body. She's friends with everybody and you can see that by the turnout for the search today. Want her home safe: Sister Paula Caunce (pictured left with Mrs Simpson) said the hardest part was not knowing what has happened to her sister . Mrs Simpson's other sister Claire Dobrec, who flew from Western Australia to help with the search, (pictured with brother-in-law Andrew Simpson) said Mrs Simpson was receiving help for post-natal depression . ‘Everyone is worried sick. She was . going to get nappies for the baby and clear her head. We believe she . bought the nappies but not 100 per cent sure.’ Online search: A Facebook page set up appealing for Mrs Simpson's safe return has attracted over 2,000 followers . Det . Ch Insp Andrea Barrow of Lancashire Police said: ‘We're very concerned . for Karen Simpson's welfare. She was last seen by her family at 10.15 on . Sunday morning. She left home address to go to Tesco in Burscough. ‘The last confirmed sighting of Karen is at 10.42am leaving Tesco and she turned towards Liverpool Road area. ‘We have an unconfirmed sighting of her at Red Cat Lane, at its junction at Liverpool Road.’ Insp Barrow said police and members of the public have been searching the area. She said: ‘Over 170 people are actively engaged in research and investigation. Detectives, dogs, officers, mountain rescue and British Transport Police are involved- we're using every resource. ‘This is very much out of character for Karen. She left the address and she is not made any contact with her family since. ‘We do know that she was being treated for post-natal depression after the birth of her third child three months ago. ‘It's a really difficult time for the family.-She's got three young children, the family are devastated and really want all members of the public to help. ‘She had gone to Tesco to get some supplies and to clear her head. But the family said there was no indication at the time that there was anything wrong.’ Mrs Simpson is around 5ft6in, of slim . build and was wearing a dark green jacket, blue jeans, maroon grey scarf . and black boots when she vanished. She has dark brown hair which is . dyed red at the ends. Anyone with information should call police on 101. Hunt HQ: Police vans outside the British Legion Club in Burscough has become the base of operations for the police search in which officers are 'using every resource'
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