Scotland weather: Appeal for information on man seen in water at Largs as coastal towns urged to be vigilant

The appeal came as people living in coastal areas were urged to remain vigilant to flooding with wind warnings for the rest of the country lifted.

A search operation involving the RNLI and Coastguard was sparked after witnesses reported a man entering the sea in the North Ayrshire town in the early hours of Tuesday.

It was stood down hours later, pending further information, but police say the unidentified man remains missing.

He is described as a white male in his 20s, tall, of slim build with no facial hair, dressed in all black.

Police are also trying to trace two men, who are believed to be potential witnesses, seen in the area around the time the man went into the water.

Inspector Martin Fraser, of Police Scotland, said: “Extensive inquiries are ongoing. We are appealing for anyone with information which could assist our investigation, including private CCTV or dashcam footage, to please come forward.”

Ministers held a meeting of the Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR) on Tuesday amid ongoing disruption due to severe weather warnings.

The Scottish Government urged those in coastal areas to remain vigilant with yellow risk of flooding still in place through to Wednesday in northern parts of mainland Scotland and the Northern Isles.

SGoRR was chaired by Justice Secretary Neil Gray and attended by Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth.

Mr Gray said: “Whilst the worst of the conditions are due to ease, the recovery effort continues and the Scottish Government, alongside our local resilience partners, will continue to support businesses and communities who have been impacted by flooding and power outages.

“I would also urge coastal communities to continue to listen to updates from the Met Office and Sepa (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) as the risk of flooding is still in place until Wednesday.”

Schools were closed on Tuesday as high winds continued, with gusts of 70mph in exposed areas.

All schools in the Western Isles were closed because of the forecast winds, while 30 primary schools and six secondary schools in the Highlands closed due to weather-related issues, along with eight schools in Aberdeenshire.

The latest disruption followed Storm Boelo which hit the UK over the weekend and saw two men killed by falling trees.

Richard Baines, 60, died on Sunday after being struck by a tree in Dumfries and Galloway.

Mr Baines, the long-serving curator of Logan Botanic Garden near Stranraer, is understood to have been walking near his home at Mid Kelton, outside Castle Douglas, when the accident happened.

Also on Sunday, a 29-year-old man was killed in north London after the car he was driving was hit by a falling tree.

The Met Office said conditions are expected to ease from Wednesday as high pressure begins to influence the UK, bringing lighter winds and drier weather across much of the country by Wednesday evening and Thursday, although western areas may remain breezy with a few light showers.