Esther Dingley: Missing hiker search fails to find any sign of her

Esther Dingley sent this selfie at the top of a mountain on 22 November

Police in Spain have pledged to carry out "sporadic" searches for a missing British hiker after a major operation failed to find any sign of her.

About 30 officers from Spain and France scoured the Pic de Sauvegarde area of the Pyrenees looking for Esther Dingley who has been missing since November.

Ms Dingley's partner Daniel Colegate is also in the area and has walked more than 620 miles (1,000km) in searches.

Spanish police said they would continue searches around other summer rescues.

Thursday's major search began at about 08:00 CET

A spokeswoman for the Guardia Civil in the Huesca region said Thursday's search was led by the French gendarmerie with officers working on both sides of the border from 08:00 CET.

She said the Spanish side of the search involved an aerial unit and the Guardia Civil mountain group based in Benasque, the town where Ms Dingley, 37, started her solo trek on 21 November.

Ms Dingley last spoke to Mr Colegate via a WhatsApp video call from atop the Pic de Sauvegarde at about 16:00 on 22 November.

Helicopters were used in Thursday's search

The Guardia Civil spokeswoman said their aerial unit flew over the southern slopes of the "Pico Salvaguardia and Collado de la Glera" while "specialists" on foot searched the Spanish part of the Pic de Sacrous and surrounding areas of the Tuca de Gorgutes.

"The results of the searches were negative," the spokeswoman said.

'The Guardia Civil will continue the search sporadically, when the service's resources allow it due to summer searches."

Esther Dingley had been due to walk down the Venasque Valley (just left of the centre of the picture and pictured from the French side) from the Pic de Sauvegarde above it

Mr Colegate said he had received a "similar message" from the French team who had "clearly put in an exhaustive amount of effort".

He said he was in contact with authorities on both sides of the border, adding: "They're all very committed and the family are confident they're doing all that can be done."

Mr Colegate previously said Ms Dingley was an experienced walker who was well-prepared for her solo hike, with provisions for up to five days.

Police have previously said they were considering all options including the possibility she may have been kidnapped.

The couple lived in Durham before setting off on a campervan tour of Europe in 2014.