Husband of missing teacher: Police dig ‘has brought it all up again’

The husband of a primary school teacher missing since 1969 has said a police dig at their former home has "brought it all up again".

Norman Ruffle spoke after the excavation by Strathclyde Police failed to recover any clues.

A team of officers using specialist ground-penetrating equipment searched the garden of the Motherwell property on Wednesday. However, a spokeswoman confirmed that the search of the home in Annan Glade "proved negative".

Speaking from his home in Melrose, in the Borders, Mr Ruffle, 71, said the new investigation had brought back unhappy memories.

The former security firm manager told the Herald: "I have absolutely no thoughts on the search being made at the old house. It has brought it all up again for the family. I was contacted by the police and I was speaking to them yesterday. I don't expect to be speaking to them again."

Following the unsuccessful excavation on Wednesday, a spokeswoman for Strathclyde Police said: "An extensive search of the property at Annan Glade, Motherwell has been carried out utilising sensitive search equipment. This search has proved negative. An area within the rear of the property was subject to excavation however this has again proved negative.

"The property has now been handed back to the householder, and the police are grateful for the assistance and co-operation provided at this location."

Further searches will be conducted in the immediate area over the coming days and weeks, the force confirmed.

The spokeswoman added: "This remains very much an active investigation and we would appeal to anyone who has any knowledge of Mrs Ruffle to speak to police."

Ellen Elizabeth Ruffle, known as Evelyn, disappeared in November 1969 after visiting her mother’s home in Motherwell. She was aged 34. Despite appeals from her family, she has not been heard from since and no one has been able to help locate her.

Mrs Ruffle was born in 1935 in Motherwell and on leaving school she attended Craiglochart Training College in Edinburgh where she trained as teacher from 1953 until 1956.

She then took a number of teaching posts in Singapore, Bournemouth and various schools in North Lanarkshire including Cathedral Primary School where she was working when she went missing. It was during her time in Singapore that she married Mr Ruffle in 1961.

She has two children, Graham, now 44, and Rosemary. The family moved to South Africa following Mrs Ruffle’s disappearance.

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