Leading hillwalker gets behind appeal to find missing Strathy reporter
One of Britain's top hillwalkers today got behind efforts to trace missing Strathy journalist Clive Dennier.
Cameron McNeish, who lives in Newtonmore, has called on walkers in the Highlands and Skye to be on the alert for Clive and his distinctive silver Volkswagen Polo car.
Clive, 50, who works at the paper's newspaper office in Kingussie, has not been seen since the weekend and family and friends are becoming increasingly concerned for his safety.
His disappearance has been described as being out of character.
As efforts step up in the search for Clive, walkers, locals and visitors to the Highlands are being asked to look out for his silver car which has the registration SX54 CXD. The car is missing both hub caps on one side of the vehicle.
Urging people to be on the alert, Cameron McNeish, one of the best known hill walkers in Scotland and respected outdoor commentator, said: "During his career Clive has often written about climbing accidents and hill walkers who have gone missing.
"It's cruelly ironic that he is now the subject of a massive search .
"I would appeal to all hill goers this Easter weekend to be particularly vigilant and keep a look out for Clive's car.
"If we find that, the chances are that we'll find him. Please make extra efforts to check out some of those remote parking areas and help the search and rescue services who, as ever, are doing a fantastic job."
Members of the Skywatch Civil Air Patrol also carried out an aerial search on Thursday for Clive and his car.
They covered 250 nautical miles checking main car parks as well as out of the way places including following the track back from Sandwood Bay.
Flying at 1,000 feet in good weather conditions in an area covering Brora, Cape Wrath and Ullapool, they spotted 15 silver cars which they checked out but there was no sign of Clive or his car.
The Mounineering Council of Scotland has also asked its members to help efforts to trace Clive.
Clive's employers contacted police on Monday at 10.15am after he failed to turn up for work at the Strathspey and Badenoch Herald.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 101.
