After extensive helicopter search missing 81-year-old man is found next door

A full-scale search and rescue operation was launched in Arbroath to find an 81-year-old man, who turned up in his next door neighbour's flat.

Two Coastguard helicopters were scrambled in the early hours of the morning, before the man, who is understood to suffer from dementia, was traced at 5am. The man was originally reported missing to Tayside Police at 11.40pm after his wife became concerned and contacted her son who raised the alarm.



After hours of searching, the pensioner was eventually found safe and well in the flat next door to his own home, where he appears to have let himself in. The rescue operation was launched because a man fitting his description had been spotted in the harbour area that night.

The coastguard received a call from the police and a helicopter from Carnoustie and one from Arbroath went out around 1am. The helicopters searched the cliffs area for about two hours before the man was traced.