Body found on Largs beach during search for missing 82-year-old Johnstone man

A body has been found in the Largs beach area during the search for 82-year-old Jim Wither from Johnstone, Police Scotland have confirmed.

Police said they received a report on Sunday, 25 October, of a body having been found in the Largs beach area. Formal identification has not yet taken place, but the family of Mr Wither, who was reported missing from Johnstone, have been informed. Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal in due course.

Mr Wither was last seen walking towards Beith Road at around 12.18pm on Sunday, 18 October. Police previously described the 82-year-old as vulnerable and said that, following enquiries, it was believed he may have entered the water after boarding a ferry from Ardrossan to Arran. Officers assisted partner agencies during a search off the eastern coast of the Isle of Arran.

CalMac said it and the crew of MV Caledonian Isles assisted HM Coastguard and Police Scotland with an enquiry regarding a missing person. Rayo reported that the discovery was made in difficult weather conditions near the Pencil Point monument.

Sources: Glasgow Times, https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/26668142.body-found-search-missing-82-year-old-johnstone-man/ ; The Gazette, https://www.the-gazette.co.uk/news/26668128.body-found-search-missing-82-year-old-johnstone-man/