A mental health patient on the run for more than a week had escaped from authorities before, it emerged last night.

Leigh Cooper, who was sectioned under the Mental Health Act, fled from Warneford Hospital in Littlemore, Oxford, on Christmas Eve.

In early 2007, Mr Cooper was on the run for five days after slipping away from his carers during a supervised visit to his mother Kim Carter's pub.

Cooper, 26, is described by police as "unpredictable and volatile".

Mrs Carter, landlady of the Quarry Gate pub in Headington, Oxford, has seen him in the past few days, and reported it to police.

But she said: "There is nothing to worry about - I can assure you of that. He's quite calm. He's not a raging violent lunatic or anything.

"As far as I know he is eating and drinking, but he does need the help."

Mrs Carter claimed her son was not getting the help he needed. She said she had been told there was a secure place for him once he had been caught, but was worried that he could be returned to the Warneford and would just escape again.

She said: "He needs to be taken to where he can get the help he needs. The worry is he isn't going to get that help on the streets.

"I am worried about him. He had problems with drugs and has mental health problems."

Police believe Cooper is still at large in Oxford.

A police statement said Cooper had recently become a Muslim and might be attracted to mosques and other Islamic institutions.

It added: "Leigh is a sectioned patient under the Mental Health Act and officers warn he should not be approached because he can be unpredictable and volatile."

He is about 5ft 10in tall, with ginger hair and a beard.

Last February, police issued similar warnings and appeals to the public after Cooper fled from carers in Headington when on assisted leave.

He had been seeing family on a supervised trip from secure accommodation at Marlborough House in Milton Keynes when he went missing.

He was eventually tracked down in Blackbird Leys by a Police Community Support Officer six days later.

Sarah Hills, a spokesman for Warneford Hospital, said: "The trust would like to reassure people that we take incidents such as these very seriously and a full investigation is being undertaken.

"We will continue to work with Thames Valley Police to ensure the safe return of this patient."

If and when he is recaptured, there will be a review over his care.

Cooper was jailed for three months in November 2006 for breaching a probation order issued following an assault on his girlfriend with part of a vacuum cleaner during a row over drugs money.

Anyone with information should call police on 08458 505505 or speak to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.