British police have issued an appeal for information on a missing Australian woman.

Katrina Elizabeth Woods, 29, was last seen leaving her home in the west London suburb of Hammersmith in May 2008.

Woods is a caucasian female with brown eyes and blonde hair. She is about 170cm tall and of medium build.

Investigating officer Constable Scott Johnson said on Thursday police had no leads or theories on Woods' whereabouts.

He said Woods' family became concerned after she stopped contacting her English mother, Beryl Davenport, who lives in Australia.

"Up until September last year, she was contacting mum via email," Constable Johnson said.

"We urge Katrina to contact us, as we need to know that she is safe and well. "Katrina's family and friends are desperate to hear from her and, as time progresses, their concerns keep growing."

Constable Johnson did not know where in Australia Davenport lived. He said teaching assistant Woods arrived in the UK on an Australian passport in 2004 and had leave to remain in the country.

She moved from Wimbledon to a hostel in Hammersmith in June 2007, where she had been living until her disappearance.

"She was seen to pack her stuff and go," Constable Johnson said.

"The management at the hostel knew her, they say she was a very quiet girl, no problem at all."

Police were trying through Woods' mother to trace one of the missing woman's friends who had also been at the hostel but since returned to Australia.

Constable Johnson said Woods' bank cards had not been used since she disappeared.

Her mother had been sending her money, but stopped last year and Woods did not have financial problems that police knew of.

Woods has an Aunt in Widnes, north-west England, but had not made contact. Anyone with information was urged to call the Hammersmith and Fulham Missing Persons unit on 0208 246 2815 or, from Australia, on 0011 44 208 246 2815.