A MAJOR police investigation has been launched following the mystery disappearance of a Southampton man.

Detectives say they are extremely concerned about Jason Verge, who hasn’t been seen for more than three weeks and appears to have vanished without a trace.

He has not withdrawn any money, has no mobile phone and has not been in contact with any of his worried family or friends.

Now the county’s major crime department are leading the hunt to find 23- year-old Jason, who suffers from a condition that causes his muscles to seize.

A large team of officers from the department, which investigates the most serious of crimes in the county, are involved in the investigation.

Jason was last seen alive on October 20 when he had withdrawn money and been to see his parents in Woolston.

He had returned to his brother’s home where he had been staying temporarily in Bellevue Road, Southampton, before leaving for an appointment at the city job centre that afternoon.

CCTV footage shows Jason walking through the city centre around 3pm, where he met a mystery blonde haired woman and struck up a conversation with her.

After stopping to chat on the seats outside Westquay shopping centre, the pair walked down through High Street before parting company close to Holy Rood Church.

Despite having made arrangements to meet his girlfriend in a pub that night, nothing has been seen or heard of Jason since.

Detectives say his disappearance is puzzling and completely out of character and are urging anyone with information to come forward.

Detective Inspector Dave Dilly, leading the enquiry called Operation Gulix, said:“We knowhe kept his appointment at the job centre but nobody has seen or heard of Jason since. We have made extensive enquiries with his family who are naturally very concerned about his whereabouts.

“Certainly everybody who knows him says it is completely out of character and nobody has been able to explain where he might be.”

Jason, who suffers from muscle wasting disease myotonic dystrophy, has a distinctive walk and was wearing small round glasses, jeans, black trainers and a black leather jacket on the day he was last seen.

WHO IS THE MYSTERY BLONDE?:

COULD this mystery blonde haired woman hold the answer to Jason’s disappearance?

Detectives are keen to identify the woman, who was seen on CCTV talking to him on the afternoon he vanished.

The woman, who can be seen holding a bag, was on a mobile phone talking in the seating area outside Westquay but appears to attract Jason’s attention as he walks by.

It’s not known if the pair know each other or how – but police believe she could be one of the last people to see him and could hold vital information about what has happened to Jason.

Are you the woman in the picture or do you recognise her? Do you have information about where Jason might be?

Call the Op Gulix team at Hulse Road on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.