A mum says she just wants her son home after he disappeared more than two weeks ago in Falkirk.
Cole Cooper was attending a house party in Denny on Saturday, May 3, before the 19-year-old made his way to his dad’s home in Banknock, Falkirk.
CCTV footage shared with STV News shows Cole arriving at the property, before leaving three minutes later. A second video shows the teen running along a road in the Longcroft area, mere minutes from the home of his mum, Wendy Stewart, at around 6am.
Cole’s family believe this is the last concrete sighting of the missing teenager. Police Scotland say the 19-year-old was last seen on the A803 Glasgow/Kilsyth Road at the junction with Cumbernauld Road, in Banknock, around 7.30pm on May 7.
Alarms were raised after Wendy attempted to call Cole over a number of days, and he failed to answer.
SuppliedThe teenager was officially reported as missing on May 9.
His aunt, Aimee Tennie, accessed Cole’s Snapchat account and realised that he had not responded to any messages from friends since Sunday, which the family states is “abnormal”.
According to loved ones, no activity has taken place on his bank account since the Sunday he was spotted on CCTV.
Wendy told STV News: “He would be in touch with someone.
“He doesn’t go without being on social media or phoning friends.
“He was constantly on his phone, he set up his own wee business and he was doing well.”
At the time of his disappearance Cole was wearing black jogging bottoms and a black puffer-style jacket.
The family also believe he was carrying a coral-coloured iPhone and may have had a blue passport and a black wallet.
Aimee says that Cole’s disappearance is completely “out-of-character” and feels there may be “something wrong”.
SuppliedThe aunt said: “He is a typical teenager but he loves three shower a day, getting clean clothes on.
“Like any teenager he likes a night out, but he also likes to come home. He stays in touch with his friends at all times.
“Cole lived with me for four to five months and I had to take the phone off him at dinner because he was always on it speaking to a friend or family member.
“We know as a family that this is completely abnormal. What we feel in our guts is that there is something wrong and we feel that he is in trouble because it is completely out-of-character for him”.
The family has recently met with police, who are due to carry out a search of the nearby canal.
A Facebook page dedicated to finding Cole has also been set up by loved ones to gather information and organise large-scale search parties.
STV NewsAimee recently issued a public appeal for those with drones, detection dogs and anyone willing to take part on the ground to meet at Banknock Community Hall on Saturday.
Cole’s mum has also asked anyone with information or CCTV regarding her son’s whereabouts to contact police in efforts to return the teen home.
Wendy said: “I’m just pleading that if anybody knows anything or seen anything just please get in touch.
“We just want him home. Until he comes back I don’t know what to think.
“I just want him back. It’s been too long. It is going to be three weeks by the end of this weekend since I’ve seen him.”
Cole’s ten-year-old sister Casia has also created a bracelet for her big brother in his absence and has pleaded for him to come home.
She said: “Please come back, I love and miss you”.
Police Scotland says they are becoming “increasingly concerned” for the teen’s welfare.
Inspector Neil Wotherspoon, Falkirk Police Office, said: “We are increasingly concerned for Cole’s welfare and have carried out extensive enquiries in the area with specialist resources.
“We would ask anyone who has seen him, or knows where he might be to get in touch. I would also like to appeal to Cole himself to contact family, friends or our officers.
“Anyone with information about Cole’s whereabouts should call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 828 of May 9, 2025.”
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