Detectives searching for a man who has been missing for more than a month are keen to trace a woman he was once friends with.

Tony Lowey, 51, was last seen when he was dropped off at his home in Hunter Avenue, Ardrossan, North Ayrshire around 3pm on December 27.

Police Scotland said Mr Lowey's family have been left "extremely distressed" by his disappearance.

Now officers have revealed an old friendship could be significant.

Chief Inspector Brian Shaw said: "We are trying to locate a woman who was friends with Tony around 5 years ago, here name is Charmaine or Charlene.

"I would appeal to this lady to contact us as she could provide us with information which could prove vital to our ongoing efforts to locate Tony.

"Tony comes from close-knit family and they are extremely distressed by his disappearance.

"They just want to know he is safe and well."

Mr Lowey's sister Joanne, 46, also made a fresh appeal for information.

She said: "We would appreciate any help to find Tony.

"If you are watching Tony, you are not in any trouble, our family is finding it difficulty with the not knowing.

"We just want reassurance that you are safe and well, Tony.

"If anyone has any information, please contact the police."

Chief Inspector Shaw said Mr Lowey was habitual in his routine and in the places he visited.

He was captured on CCTV later on the December 27 buying groceries in an Alpine Stores, near his home.

But there has been no contact from him since and no record of him making any financial transactions.

Police said people came forward after recent appeals to to say they believed they had seen Mr Lowey locally but none of the sightings were confirmed.

Anyone with information is asked to call officers at Irvine Police Station via 101, quoting incident 0936 of 29 December 2017.