Police searching for a missing woman from West Lothian have received an encouraging response from members of the public following recent public appeals.
Heather McKay, 51, was last seen at her friend’s address in Craiglaw, Dechmont at around 7.30am on Friday 24th August.
Another friend arrived at the address at around 8.30am however Ms McKay was not there, and has not been seen since.
Last Friday, on the one-week anniversary of her disappearance, officers from Lothian and Borders Police distributed thousands of leaflets and posters in the village and surrounding areas and spoke to commuters and parents dropping their children off at the local primary school.
Her children Andrea and Kevin Waddell and her sister Deirdre McKay also made an emotional appeal to members of the public via the media for anyone with any information to come forward.
As a result of this activity, over 20 calls have been received from people who believe they may have seen Heather since she disappeared and officers are now following up a number of lines of enquiry.
Alongside this, trained officers are viewing CCTV footage from the surrounding areas around the time she went missing, and over a hundred hours worth has been viewed already.
Over a hundred statements have been taken so far, as well as a large-scale door-to-door enquiry in the streets surrounding the home where Heather was last seen.
Dozens of officers and members of the Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue are also searching the surrounding areas to check for any traces of Ms McKay, who was known to be as keen walker and often hiked in the areas around Dechmont and Broxburn.
Community Inspector Neill Whiteside said: “The public response to our recent appeals has been fantastic, and has provided some vital information to assist us in our search for Heather.
“It is encouraging for the family to know so many people care about Heather’s well-being and desperately want to find her.
“Our investigations are continuing, and I would appeal to anyone who may recognise Heather’s description or who might have information about her whereabouts to come forward as soon as possible.”
Heather is described as around 5ft 7ins tall, medium build with hazel/ green eyes and brown hair. She speaks with a Scottish accent and has a small burn mark on her forearm and a small tattoo on her right shoulder.
She may be wearing a light blue Berghaus rain jacket, jeans and a pair of brown hi-tec walking boots.
Anyone with information should contact Lothian and Borders Police immediately on 0131 311 3131.
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