A major police incident site has been set up at a Highland farm yard in connection with a cyclist who went missing in the area three years ago.
Forensic teams and mobile police units investigating the disappearance of Tony Parsons have descended on the Auch Easte, near Bridge of Orchy.
A large white tent was also set up at the farm just off the A82 Inverness to Glasgow road.
The most recent investigations comes after two men were arrested in connection with the missing person last week.
The 29-year-olds were released without charge and police confirmed the disappearance of Mr Parsons, now 66, is still being treated as a missing person inquiry.
A police spokesman said: “We can confirm that on Wednesday, December 30 2020, two men, both aged 29, were arrested and then released pending further inquiries in connection with the disappearance of Anthony Parsons, who was reported missing in September 2017.
“Inquiries are ongoing.”
When was Tony Parsons last seen?
Mr Parsons was last seen at about 11.30pm on October 2, 2017 outside the Bridge of Orchy Hotel on the A82.
He was making his way from Fort William back home to Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire, having travelled north for a charity bike ride on September 29, 2017.
The grandad was thought to have travelled south in the direction of Tyndrum but neither he nor his yellow and black bike have been seen since October 2.
A member of the local farming community said: “There is a mobile police unit at the road end of Auch Estate where it joins the main road.
“Then about half a mile down the estate road there is a yard with a big house and a smaller house. Another mobile police unit is set up in the yard and there are a few forensic 4×4 police vehicles parked up near the estate vehicles.
“A big white police incident tent has been set up between the estate house and the smaller house. Portable toilets have been put up and one of the local police officers said they would be there for a while.”
A member of staff at Bridge of Orchy Hotel, who asked not to be named, said: “I was here when the man went missing three years ago. We knew he was last here and he cycled towards Tyndrum before he disappeared. That’s all we know.
“The police were searching at the time all around the area from here to Tyndrum, all along the roadside.
“Then a few days ago we saw a lot of police around again. They were definitely doing something but they didn’t stop cars again this time or look along the roadside, as they had already done that in the last few years.
“There were about seven police vehicles at the Auch Estate, we pass it when we go to the shop at Tyndrum and there has been a lot of police activity there.
“It was a former colleague of mine who served Mr Parsons a coffee before he set out that night. He was advised to stay and that the road could be dangerous, but he said he was going to Tyndrum.”
A number of specialist police resources, including the mountain rescue team, air support units and dog units have been involved in searches for Mr Parsons during the last three years.
‘Left wth so many unanswered questions’
His son Mike Parsons made an emotional plea for information in 2020, on the third anniversary of his disappearance.
He said: “None of us ever dreamt that three years ago my dad would have gone on his charity bike ride and we would never see him again.
“As a result my family and I have been left with so many unanswered questions that we have to live with every single day about where he is.
“As each special family occasion passes and seeing his grandchildren growing up without their grandad, it reminds us of the harsh reality of him not being here.
“I would ask that if you have any information, no matter how small, please contact the police as it may help to provide us the help and answers we’re looking for.”
