Dozens of volunteers are expected to help a grieving Dundee family search for missing Arbroath teenager Ralph Smith.
The 18-year-old fell from Arbroath cliffs last Saturday and is presumed dead. However, his body still has not been recovered.
His disappearance was the start of 24 hours of tragedy for the family. Two other relatives, Julie McCash and David Sorrie, were killed at a vigil for Ralph the following morning.
Police have ended their search for the teenager but the family is planning its own “safe search” along the Angus and Fife coastlines on Saturday morning.
Anyone who wants to help search the north Fife coastline is asked to meet at the Tay Road Bridge Car Park at 10am while those who want to assist in Angus should meet at the McDonald’s car park at Dobbie’s Garden Centre at the same time.
The searches will begin at 10.30am and cover 18 sites in Angus and another six in Fife.
Volunteers are asked to wear suitable clothing and footwear and to bring their own food and a hot flask.
Speaking on social media, relatives Billy and Gary Sorrie said: “As most of you will be aware, tragedy struck our family three times in the space of 24 hours with the deaths of Wee Ralphie, Julie and David.
“To say this week has been unbearable would be an understatement. Each and every single member of our family is heartbroken beyond belief and we are all still in shock.
“Our despair deepens as at this moment Wee Ralphie’s body has still not been recovered.”
The pair said that the heartache of Ralph’s parents Nicola Duffy and Ralph was “unimaginable”.
They added: “As a family, we are organising a safe search on Saturday covering as many beach areas and accessible routes as possible, both north and south of Arbroath cliffs.
“Anyone wishing to help with this search is more than welcome but we must stress that this will be a safe search, as we do not want to put anyone in any danger.
“With that in mind, we must ask that anyone wishing to participate should be fit and healthy, over the age of 18, come fully prepared for bad weather with the correct clothing and has transport available.”
A later post added: “We have 18 sites in Angus/Aberdeenshire and six in Fife so need as many volunteers as possible .”
The bodies of Julie McCash and David Sorrie were discovered in the street in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Robert Stratton, 42, of Drumlanrig Drive, was subsequently charged with their murder and the attempted murder of a third person.
He was also charged with assault.
