A 16-year-old schoolboy from one of the country's top public schools has run away to the Caribbean to escape "exam stress", it emerged yesterday. Fenn Chapman disappeared from Rugby School, Warwickshire, and boarded an aircraft heading for Barbados at Manchester Airport on Tuesday morning.

The teenager, who is believed to be suffering from exam stress, is known to have landed on the island, but has not been seen since.

Warwickshire police alerted Interpol after the boy was reported missing by the school. A spokes-man for Warwickshire police said the teenager, whose parents live in North Yorkshire, had recently spent a family holiday on the island and was familiar with the area.

"We believe he has friends and contacts on the island, but obviously the police, Interpol, his school and his parents are very concerned for his welfare," a police spokeswoman said.