Mother goes missing with her three young children - two years after accusing their father of disappearing with family's £9,000 life savings

A mother has gone missing with her three young children two years after accusing her partner of disappearing with £9,000 of their life savings.

Katie Lee Jones and her three young children, Alfie, Macy and Harley, have not been seen since the weekend.

Police in Swansea, South Wales, are said to be growing increasingly concerned for the 24-year-old and her children.

Katie Lee Jones and her children Macy, six, Harley, five, and Alfie, two, have not been seen since Saturday
In 2013, Miss Jones made a public appeal for her partner Mark Cohen to return home, claiming he had vanished after telling her he was going to the shops.

She pleaded with the 49-year-old, with whom she has one child, to bring back the money she had been saving for a new kitchen.

At the time she said: 'He told me he was going to the shops to get some chocolate - and I haven't seen him since.'

South Wales Police investigated the alleged incident but confirmed today the complaint was later withdrawn.

Miss Jones and the children aged six, five and two were reported missing from their home in Townhill, Swansea, on Saturday. 

Posts from a Facebook account purporting to be the young mother have been removed, with investigators still considering her a missing person. 

A South Wales Police spokesman said this morning: 'Police are concerned for their well-being and would encourage those who have seen them or who may have information about their whereabouts to come forward.

Miss Jones previously claimed her former partner Mark Cohen (right) disappeared with the family's life savings after telling her he was going to the shop to buy chocolate

'Extensive enquiries have been conducted in the Swansea area and officers are also liaising with colleagues in other parts of the country in order to trace them.'

After an initial appeal for to trace the family was issued over the weekend a Facebook user calling themselves Katie Lee posted messages claiming to be the young mother.

One message said: 'We are safe and well. Many thanks to all,' while another claimed: 'We are amazing'.

The posts and account have since been deleted.

In 2013 Mr Cohen was accused of stealing £9,000 from the mother and disappearing after telling her he was going to buy chocolate.

She claimed her former partner used some of the money to buy a van which was later discovered discarded by the side of a road.

Police investigated the alleged theft until the complaint was withdrawn. Mr Cohen was never arrested for the crime.