Search ongoing in Wicklow for missing woman

The search resumed today for an elderly woman who went missing from a nursing home in Bray, Co Wicklow on St Stephen's Day.

The search resumed today for an elderly woman who went missing from a nursing home in Bray, Co Wicklow on St Stephen's Day.

Maura Reynolds (78), who suffers from "extreme dementia" was reported missing from the Tara Nursing Home at 6.30am on St Stephen's Day. She is believed to have disappeared between the hours of 12.30am and 6.30am on Monday.

She had spent Christmas Day with family members in Co Dublin. The mother of three is also a grandmother of nine and has one great-grandchild. She has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and cancer of the spine.

Detectives said they were interested in hearing from anyone who may have been walking near Bray Head or on the Bray Head walk between 9pm and 11pm on Christmas Day.

READ MORE

After her disappearance, emergency services mounted a major air and sea search operation, involving the Garda helicopter and Coast Guard.

Mrs Reynolds is five feet, four inches tall with fair hair and walks with a slight stoop. She may have been wearing a purple suit or night clothing.

Leaflets with a description of the woman were distributed to motorists and pedestrians yesterday, and searches continued along Bray beach - about 300 yards from the nursing home on Putland Road.

Mrs Reynolds' family appealed to people to check their property for any signs of her.

Temperatures in the Wicklow area fell to below freezing last night while snow showers added to the wintry conditions.

Her son, George Reynolds, said last night: "One has to expect that she has died."