The mother of a missing midwifery student has urged members of her daughter’s church to help the investigation into her disappearance.

Joy Morgan, 21, was reported missing six weeks after she was last seen dancing at a church celebration on December 26, 2018.

Carol Morgan said the last time she head from her daughter, a student at the University of Hertfordshire, was when she tried to arrange for her to join a family event at Christmas.

She told Channel 4 News: “We were going out to a party at her auntie’s for Christmas Boxing Day so I told her about it. But she said no, ‘I don’t believe in that mum, my faith don’t believe in Christmas, I don’t want to associate with it’.

“And I said OK, well I’ll speak to you afterwards. But I didn’t get a phone call back from her, so I kept Whatsapping her and Whatsapping her.”

Ms Morgan made a plea to her daughter’s church, Israel United in Christ in Ilford, east London, to give more information.

The church, which has outlets in London and Birmingham, is an offshoot of an American organisation linked to black nationalism, according to the US extremism monitor the Southern Poverty Law Centre.

Ms Morgan said: “There’s no way she just disappeared into dust, and these people that are so family-orientated, such a close-knit church – brothers and sisters as you say.

“So, brothers and sisters, if you are listening, where is your sister? Where is your sister Joy? Brothers and sisters, where is your sister Joy. I don’t know where she is, her mother here would like to know!”

The church had yet to respond, the broadcaster said.

Detective Chief Superintendent Karena Thomas from Hertfordshire Police said Miss Morgan is an “active member of the Hainault Street Church in Ilford, which Joy herself has described as a community that feels like her family.”

Hertfordshire Police told the broadcaster that the church forms part of their investigation and that they are speaking to its members about the disappearance.

A 40-year-old man from London man was arrested for a second time today and is being questioned in custody on suspicion of Miss Morgan’s murder.

Miss Morgan is described as slim, around 5ft 5in, with Afro hair she regularly covers with a scarf, and glasses.