A vulnerable missing woman may have fallen victim to "something sinister", according to police.

Margaret Fleming's carers, the only people to have seen her since a family gathering in 1999, reported her missing in October.

No trace has been found of the 36-year-old despite a six-month search of the area surrounding her home in Inverkip, Inverclyde.

Her carers previously said Ms Fleming, who suffers from learning difficulties, kept "a side of her life quite private".

Police say there is no reason to doubt them but they "cannot rule out" the possibility she has come to harm.

A search of their five-bedroom home began in November and later extended into the garden, where forensics specialists excavated more than half an acre of land.

Officers have sifted through thousands of items taken from the house and interviewed 500 people.

Speaking on the six-month anniversary of her reported disappearance on Friday, detective inspector Paul Livingstone said: "There have been extensive enquiries over the last six months as we try to piece together Margaret's life.

"Whilst we are keeping an open mind - her carers state that Margaret has a private side to her life, possibly having friends that they are not aware of - we cannot rule out the possibility that she has come to harm in some way.

"By this I mean that she could have had an accident, possibly wanted to be missing or even something more sinister."

Officers have remained in contact with Ms Fleming's mother, who they described as "shocked and distressed".

Mr Livingstone added: "Margaret is still being considered a missing person and I would reiterate my appeal to anyone who may have known Margaret from 1999 until now, and knew she had been living at the house in Inverkip to get in touch.

"The key to finding Margaret is through people coming forward with information about her."