A missing Perthshire pensioner who has not been seen for four days was upset by changes to his daily routine, a neighbour has claimed.
Concerns are growing for 81-year-old William Elder, who disappeared from his Pitlochry home on Tuesday morning.
Margaret Downs, who lives in the same sheltered housing complex as Mr Elder in the town’s James Court, said he was unhappy at a decision to install gas central heating in his home as the work affected his normal routines.
The 60-year-old, who is a volunteer with the PDSA charity shop in Pitlochry, said she feared the worst.
She said: “He was a wee bit upset a couple of weeks ago because gas central heating was going in and it put him out of his routine. He didn’t like it and he didn’t want it. At his age people like their routines.
“I hope they find him because it’s sad (that he’s gone missing) at this time of year but I thought they’d have found him by now.
“The police have done a good job of searching for him but I don’t think there’s much hope due to his age.”
On Thursday police stepped up the hunt for Mr Elder, reviewing CCTV from shops in the town and appealing for those with private security cameras to come forward.
Specialist search dogs have also been drafted in to help track him and one dog has picked up his scent in the town centre.
Mr Elder is five feet tall and of a slim build, with brown, greying hair.
When last seen, he was wearing a green wax jacket, black loose-fitting trousers and brown boots.