By Jenna Cairney

A major search operation was launched in Monifieth last night as fears grew for the safety of a missing woman.

Linda Wallace Hill (41) has been missing from her home in Riverview Caravan Park since Sunday morning.

From 10pm last night a search and rescue helicopter scoured the foreshore from Monifieth towards Carnoustie.

Two coastguard quad bikes patrolled the area along with numerous police officers and specially trained dogs.

Linda had been drinking in the Vault Bar, Monifieth, on Saturday night and was last seen at home on Sunday morning.

She is described as five feet two inches tall, with brown hair, brown eyes and is of medium build.

She is believed to have been wearing a blue Regatta jacket, dark blue jeans and black knee- length boots.

It is understood she left her home sometime between 6.45 and 10 on Sunday morning.

Coastguard station officer Lindsay Martin said, “About 36 hours ago the lady went out for a walk and she has never been seen since.

“We are worried that she may have fallen and hurt herself and that she is lying out somewhere in the cold.

“If that’s the case she’s been outside a very long time.”

He confirmed that there had been no search lifeboat search of the water and that the search focus was on the foreshore.

“We’ve got a major search on tonight for this lady,” he said.

“We are very concerned for her safety.

“There is a 137 helicopter searching inland and coast guard units on the beach from Carnoustie.

“We don’t think she has gone too far towards Carnoustie and we don’t think she has gone into the city as police have checked CCTV footage and don’t seem to have found anything.

“We are concentrating on the foreshore and checking all possible routes that a person out walking would take.

“It’s a huge area to cover and there’s a lot of man-power out.”

Cadets and troops from a local barracks were training in the area when the alarm was raised and stopped live firing and pyrotechnics to assist in the search for the woman.

Anyone with any knowledge or information of her whereabouts is asked to contact the police on 01382 223200.