Police 'increasingly concerned' for missing Cole Cooper

Police are becoming "increasingly concerned" for a teenager who has been missing for three weeks.

Cole Cooper, 19, was last seen at about 20:45 on 7 May in Longcroft, Falkirk, near his home village of Banknock.

Ch Insp Alex Hatrick told BBC Scotland News Cole's disappearance was being treated as a missing persons case and there was no evidence to suggest he had come to harm.

Since the final sighting officers have conducted door-to-door inquiries at more than 200 homes and obtained over 1,000 hours of CCTV.

Members of Cole's family have told BBC Scotland News his lack of contact with them is highly unusual and they fear he has come to some kind of harm.

Ch Insp Hatrick, local area commander, told BBC Scotland News: "Just like Cole's family we are increasingly concerned for Cole's whereabouts.

"The family are obviously deeply devastated, they are looking for answers as to what has happened to Cole, as are the police.

"At this time this is very much a missing persons inquiry.

"There is no evidence to suggest Cole has come to harm but we will explore all avenues, all lines of inquiry. Our focus is very much on tracing Cole."

3 May: Cole was on a night out with friends.

4 May: He was captured on CCTV multiple times around Nisbet Drive, Longcroft Road and Hogan Path in the early hours of Sunday morning.

He was seen approaching the door of his father's house at 05:49 before leaving four minutes later.

The last CCTV footage of Cole was at 06:00 on Cumbernauld Road.

7 May: A witness said they saw Cole at around 20:45 on the A803 at the Intersection with Cumbernauld Road, Longcroft.

9 May: Cole is reported missing.

Ch Insp Hatrick said police believe the last sighting of Cole was on the evening of 7 May, reported by a witness who knew him.

The witness told officers he did not have any concerns for Cole.

He told them Cole had asked for a lift and then "went on his way".

Cole is described as about 5ft 10in, of medium build with short brown hair.

He was last seen wearing a black puffer-style jacket with black jogging bottoms.

But Cole's family are treating the earlier CCTV footage - captured on 4 May - as the last confirmed sighting of the missing teenager.

Brother Connor told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime programme they were hoping "no news is good news" but were becoming increasingly worried.

He said: "We are coming up to a month now which does make me think, has he come to some sort of harm?

"I don't know what type of harm but I do think that something must have happened and somebody knows something.

"We are mentally preparing for the worst but we are also hoping and praying for the best outcome which is him coming home safely."

The family organised a community-led search for the teenager on Saturday and Sunday, with around 200 people helping looking for Cole.

"We don't want to sit back and do nothing. Even if we need to search the same area a hundred more times, we will," Connor added.

Cole had been living in Falkirk and is known to have links to the Denny, Cumbernauld and Paisley areas.

A major search involving helicopters and drones was launched last week scouring Banknock, also in Falkirk, and the dive and marine unit have been involved.

Police are asking for anyone who was in the Glasgow Road area around the time Cole was last seen to contact them via an online portal.

They are also urging locals to to check their outbuildings and sheds.