A north-east woman reported missing in the early hours of Monday morning has been traced “safe and well”.
The disappearance of Seonaid Bacon from her family home in the Skelmanae area of Aberdeenshire sparked a major police search and rescue operation.
Detectives described the disappearance of the 52-year-old – who had been spotted walking by a road in dressing gown and slippers – as “out of character”.
It was thanks to a phone call from a member of the public that she was eventually found, not far from where she lives.
Officers thanked local people for aiding the search efforts and providing information.
A police spokeswoman said: “Police Scotland can confirm that Seonaid Bacon, who was reported missing from the Strichen area, has been traced safe and well.
“She was traced this morning in the local area. A member of the public phoned the police.”
Mrs Bacon was found near to her Skelmanae home however police declined to say whether she was found in an outbuilding or in the open.
Officers had been seen combing fields and roadsides near the A98 Fraserburgh to Banff road and the Fraserburgh lifeboat was called out to assist with a shoreline search near New Aberdour.
A police helicopter and search dog were also part of the coordinated operation.
A spokesman for Fraserburgh lifeboat station said: “Volunteer crew members responded very quickly after being paged following reports of a missing person.”
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.
