Neil Skinner: New search launched for missing Loch Dochard walker

Police in Scotland have issued a fresh appeal for information about Neil Skinner, 72, from Doncaster

A new search effort has been launched for a walker who went missing near Bridge of Orchy last year.

Neil Skinner, 72, from Doncaster in South Yorkshire, was last seen camping close to Loch Dochard in Argyll and Bute on 8 May 2022.

He remains missing despite extensive searches and police have urged anyone with information to get in touch.

Last year Mr Skinner's family said they were "desperately seeking answers" about what happened to him.

Now a specialist search organisation Beneath the Surface has joined friends and family of Mr Skinner to assist in the renewed search of the remote hills.

They will carry out a search of the area on Saturday and Sunday.

Mr Skinner is described as 5ft 8in (1.72m) tall with short, white hair, a white goatee beard and glasses.

At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing a green jacket and grey walking trousers.

• Fresh appeal year on from walker's disappearance

His daughter, Kate Armitage, has asked anyone with information to contact police, adding: "It's absolute torture. Torture is the only way I could describe it."

Ms Armitage said her father was on a walking tour with two friends when he returned to his tent alone after he said he did not feel well enough to complete a planned hike.

When his companions returned to their campsite a day later, Mr Skinner was nowhere to be found despite all his clothes and walking equipment being in the tent along with his phone and wallet.

She said his friends had planned to stay away longer but the weather took a turn for the worse, prompting their early return to see Mr Skinner.

An extensive police search involving helicopters, drones and diving and mountain rescue teams was carried out, but Mr Skinner was not found.

Mr Skinner was last seen camping close to Loch Dochard in Scotland on 8 May

Ms Armitage told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime programme: "As weeks went on and they still hadn't located him, your mind goes to every scenario of what could've happened to him.

"And now, just over a year, we're just absolutely baffled, confused, distressed.

"It's tragic when you lose a family member anyway from illness or old age, obviously it's so distressing. But to lose dad in this way - he was fit and healthy.

"We just have no explanation as to what's happened to him and it's really distressing for us to not have any answers."

Ms Armitage hopes that this renewed search effort could help bring the family some peace as a year has passed since Mr Skinner's disappearance.

"Our best case scenario now is to just give us some closure," she said.

"Personally for me, I am not at peace. To find dad's body - I feel like that's the only thing that could give me and the rest of the family some peace.

"It may not give us answers because obviously it's been a year that he's missing.

"But just to 100% know he is dead... and we have had a family funeral could give us some rest and reassurance."