The family of missing Arbroath man Jon Edwards hope his disappearance can be explained by him joining a hippy commune in Portugal.
Jon’s whereabouts have been unknown since he left his flat in Lagos in the Algarve on September 15.
During a visit at the weekend, Jon’s sister, Kenna Balion, heard about a travelling community that travels along the coast.
Jon’s mother, Lesley, has found out more about a hippy commune in the area.
Jon, 30, has worked in Israel, Belgium andGermany in the past, returning to Arbroath to raise funds to enable him to travel again.
Lesley said thecommune sounded similar to one Jon was part of while in Israel.
Kenna said she first heard about the travelling community during a visit to nearby Burgau.
She said: “When asking around the area, I was told there was a travellingcommunity of surfers who went along the coast.
“Jon’s a free spirit, which makes me think this would be right up his street.”
Jon had been working in Lagos since the start of the month as a chef.
In a Facebook post on September 12 he said he had fallen down a hill when he was drunk and knocked himself unconscious.
He didn’t turn up for work the next two days complaining of headaches and dizziness, and on the Monday he disappeared.
As the police investigation continues, Jon’s family continue to hope he will be found alive.
Kenna said: “I spoke with Jon’s friends and apparently he went away to a party called the Jam in the early hours of Fridaymorning. That’s when he banged his head and knocked himselfunconscious, according to a Facebook post.
“OnSaturday he went to work at 3pm and started vomiting. He lay on the bathroom floor for two hours.He then walked out and said he was going home.
“If he has woken up on Monday in a confused state and thought he should get away from everything, he might have gone with the travellers.
“I don’t think he’s indanger because if he was dead a body would have been found by now it’s been about two weeks.
“We are still hopeful that he will turn up.”
At the weekend the pair put up posters around the region with Jon’s picture, asking people to contact them with information.
Lesley has also travelled to Portimo to speak to the British consulate about the case.