By Graham Brown

THE ANGUISHED mother of a missing Forfar woman spoke yesterday of her terrible fears for her daughter’s well-being as a full-scale search was mounted in and around the town.

A Royal Navy helicopter and search boat were called in to the hunt for Moira Vivian, who has not been seen since walking out of her Dundee Loan home on Wednesday evening.

The primary school worker told her daughters she was going to the cinema but the movie trip never took place and yesterday Moira’s mother said she feared the worst for the 42-year-old, who was struggling to come to terms with her own daughter’s death last summer.

The Vivian family was rocked by tragedy in July when Dundee University student Sheridan (18) took her own life.

Hours before she went missing, Moira made an impassioned plea for the return of a mobile phone lost by Sheridan’s sister, Steffanie. It contained irreplacable images, including the tragic teenager lying in her coffin.

Yesterday distraught Eileen Alexander, who lives in Dundee, said the family was clinging to the hope that Moira was still alive but fears for her safety grew with every passing hour.

“She said she was going to the pictures with a friend in Dundee, but that was something that she never did,” said a devastated Mrs Alexander.

“She left money and credit cards at home and then just went out of the house and no one has seen her since.

“She wouldn’t stay away like this if everything was okay so we are all just devastated.

“She must be in Forfar somewhere so the family is just asking anyone who might know where she is, or can help the police, to please contact them.”

The Vivian family have owned Great Danes for some years and they were well-known to locals and other dog-walkers.

Mrs Alexander’s other daughter, also Eileen, and her partner live close to Moira and the tearful grandmother revealed that the pair had been out in the popular dog-walking area of Balmashanner with the family’s pet, Gucci, to see if they could pick up a trace of Moira.

Shortly after lunchtime yesterday, the Balmashanner area was the scene of intense activity as the landing spot for a Royal Navy Sea King rescue helicopter from HMS Gannet at Prestwick.

The chopper, which had carried out a pass of the town before touching down, picked up a Tayside Police officer to assist in a more detailed sweep of the community, starting in the area of Forfar Loch.

A police spokesman also confirmed that officers were working with Angus Council’s Ranger service in combing the vicinity of the loch.

CCTV footage is also being examined as part of the hunt.

Moira’s husband Lee is understood to have just returned home from working offshore. The couple also have another daughter.

Police have issued a description of Moira, who is 42, 5ft 2in tall, of slight build with short blonde hair.

“When last seen she was wearing a short black-coloured zip-up jacket, a black Playboy tracksuit and pink trainers,” said a police spokesman. “She also had a medium-sized zipped handbag with her.”

He said search activities would continue today and anyone with information on Moira should contact Tayside Police on Forfar (01307) 302200.