THE parents of a missing man, believed to be in the Oxford area, say they are desperate to know their son is safe.

Christopher Kay, 37, was reported missing from his home in Reigate, Surrey, on Sunday, July 8.

The former Oxford Brookes student was last seen in the Tesco store in Cowley Road, East Oxford, on Friday, August 17. There have been no confirmed sightings since then.

His bank card was used last weekend at a shop in Oxford, so it is believed he is still in the city.

His mum Cynthia said: “We are just desperate to know he is ok. It is very worrying for everyone and very sad that we’re in this situation. We are desperate for him to come back and get well again.”

Mr Kay suffered renal failure and a muscle wasting condition in his leg two years ago and spent months in hospital.

He still needs treatment for his condition.

His family say he stopped taking the necessary medication earlier this year and started to become withdrawn.

Mrs Kay said: “He became very depressed and lost contact with all of us. He wouldn’t speak to us or contact us.

“Then when a medical team went round to contact him, he didn’t like the interference and took off.

“He needs his medication to get him up to scratch and he needs the proper after- care.”

Police know Mr Kay purchased a tent and sleeping bag, so believe he may be sleeping rough.

Mr Kay has a number of connections to the Oxford area. He studied language and business at Oxford Brookes University as an undergraduate and lived off the Cowley Road during his studies.

But Mr Kay’s parents warned people not to approach their son if they see him.

Dad Geoffrey said: “We don’t want people to go up to him and say ‘you’re that chap in the missing person story’ because he will just disappear again.

“The most important thing is to know where he has based himself so he can be properly apprehended and helped.”

Mrs Kay added: “It is getting colder now and there is no way he could survive like that. It must have been bad enough already.”

Mr Kay is described as white, about 6ft 1ins tall, with blue eyes and shoulder-length sandy-coloured hair.

He wears glasses and walks with a limp due to having a brace attached to his right leg.

Anyone who has information on his whereabouts is asked to contact Surrey Police on 101, quoting crime reference number M/12/619, or Missing People confidentially on 116 000.