A major land, sea and air search was underway across the north-east last night for a woman who disappeared wearing a dressing gown and slippers near her remote home.
Seonaid Bacon was last seen yesterday shortly after midnight in the Skelmanae area north-west of Strichen.
Police said it was out of character for her not to be in touch with friends and family and they were “increasingly concerned for her wellbeing”.
It is understood the focus of the search was initially an area between her family home and the busy A98 Fraserburgh to Banff road.
A search dog and helicopter were brought in by police to help coordinate their efforts over rugged agricultural terrain.
A number of officers were seen combing the roadside near a local quarry and another search team was stationed at Boyndlie Community Hall.
Detectives made an initial appeal for information around lunchtime yesterday and revealed that the 52-year-old was last seen wearing a white dressing gown with blue and pink spots, black slippers and grey tracksuit bottoms.
She is described as around 5ft 6ins tall with a slim build and short white hair.
A renewed and more urgent appeal was then issued just after 4pm when officers revealed the involvement of the Police Scotland helicopter and search dog.
Bu yesterday evening the search area had been expanded to include the shoreline near Troup Head and the Fraserburgh lifeboat was called out to assist.
Inspector Kevin Goldie said: “It is out of character for Seonaid to not be in touch with family or friends and as time goes by we are increasingly concerned for her well-being.
“We are asking residents in the local area to please check any outbuildings, garages or sheds for signs that someone may have sought shelter there.
“Searches are being carried out in the local area including the use of a search dog and the Police Scotland helicopter.”
Insp Goldie urged anyone with any information to contact 101 “as soon as possible”.
When the search moved to focus on the coastline between Pennan and Rosehearty the Fraserburgh lifeboat station was paged and the volunteer crew called to assist in the operation.
The road from Skelmanae near the Bacon family home leads across the A98 and through Aberdour down towards the coastline.
Last night Hamish Partridge, Fraserburgh lifeboat operations manager, said: “Fraserburgh Lifeboat was tasked on request from the UK Coastguard with reports of a missing person.
“We were requested to assist with a shoreline search from Fraserburgh to Troup Head”.
The Bacon home is less than two miles from the rough woodland where Fraserburgh man Shaun Ritchie was last seen before disappearing after a Halloween night out two years ago.
The coordinated search in the wake of his disappearance was one of the largest in the history of Police Scotland. Mr Ritchie remains missing, presumed dead.
