Concern for missing holidaymaker Ian Peter Smiddy was mounting today among family, friends and neighbours.

Later editions of yesterday's Telegraph & Argus reported how Mr Smiddy, of Eldwick, had gone missing while walking in the mountains of Majorca on Monday. He was on holiday on the Spanish island with his wife Sheila.

His son Andrew is believed to have travelled out to Majorca as the search for the 65-year-old - known to his friends and relatives as Peter- continues.

Speaking at Andrew Smiddy's home in Eldwick, Tracey Smiddy said: "We're all very upset.''

A neighbour of the missing man said: "It sounds pretty tragic but we're just hoping that he might have gone off somewhere he wasn't expected to and that he's actually safe and well.

"He's a nice man who keeps himself to himself. I think he's a retired policeman.''

Mr Smiddy's wife raised the alarm when he failed to return to their hotel in Puerto Pollensa after a day walking alone in the mountains. A major search operation, involving tracker dogs, a police helicopter, a mountain rescue team and the Red Cross, has taken place but failed to locate Mr Smiddy.

He left the Hotel Romantic on the Spanish island at 10am on Monday.

He took a bus to the town of Escorca, popular with hikers but also known by locals as a treacherous area, and planned to return to his wife that afternoon. She waited for him until the following morning and when he did not return contacted the police.

The bus driver was the last person to see him when he left the bus wearing a red shirt, shorts and a rucksack and a farmer thinks he may have spotted him in the search area on Monday afternoon.

Humphrey Carter, a reporter at The Daily Bulletin in Palma said: "Mr Smiddy went to the same area last year when the couple were on holiday and obviously thought it was safe to go walking again this year.

"But the area is renowned for missing people and only last week a group of hikers got trapped."

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "He did not return to his hotel and hence a search was organised by police, including a helicopter.

"We are certainly concerned for this person's welfare and will monitor the situation very closely."

e-mail: ian.lewis

@bradford.newsquest.co.uk