More than five-thousand dollars has been raised as a reward for information about three missing children and their wanted father

Tom Philips is on the run from police after disappearing with his three kids from the rural Waikato town of Marokopa in December last year.

Police issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed failed to appear in Te Kuiti District Court in January on a charge of wasting police time.

The original charge related to when he went into the bush with his children in September for 17 days.