A huge search was today underway for a Bradford man on holiday in Majorca who went missing while walking in the mountains.

The alarm was raised when Ian Peter Smiddy, 65, who was on holiday with his wife Sheila, failed to return to their hotel from a mountain trek.

A search operation, involving tracker dogs, a police helicopter, a mountain rescue team and the Red Cross, has taken place but has so far failed to locate him.

Mr Smiddy left his wife at the Hotel Romantic in Puerto Pollensa at 10am on Monday to take a bus ride to the town of Escorca, popular with hikers but also known by locals as a treacherous area, and planned to return that afternoon.

She waited for him until the following morning - but when he did not return she 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.

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 confirmed that Mr Smiddy went walking in the mountains on Monday.

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

"Next of kin have been informed by the person he was travelling with.

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