Neil Skinner: Appeal to trace missing pensioner last seen while camping one year ago near Loch Dochard

Police have issued a fresh appeal to the public one year after the disappearance of a pensioner from Argyll.

Neil Skinner, 72, was last seen while camping close to Loch Dochard near Bridge of Orchy and was reported missing to police on May 9, 2022.

Officers say the past 12 months have been a “difficult period” for his family and friends and a fresh appeal for information has been launched to try and trace him.

Last year, his daughter Kate Armitage said: “It’s just looming over me every day of my life, this huge question mark and I can’t move forward properly with my life without knowing what’s happened to my dad.”

Mr Skinner was captured on CCTV on May 7, 2022, at the Green Welly Stop in Tyndrum.

Map shows journey taken by missing man Neil Skinner STV News

He and his friends then parked their car at Victoria Bridge before hiking six miles to the banks of Loch Dochard, where they camped for the night.

The next day, they set off for Loch Etive, but about 90 minutes later, he turned back for the campsite because the hike was too much for him.

A new search involving experienced hikers was launched in March this year with help of underwater sonar search and recovery dive team, Beneath The Surface.

Mr Skinner is described as 5ft 8in tall, with short white hair, a white goatee-type beard and wearing glasses. He was last seen wearing a green jacket and grey walking trousers.

From right, missing man Neil Skinner, his daughter Kate Armitage and her son Oscar Contributed

Inspector Lee Page said: “Neil has now been missing for a year and we know what a difficult period this has been for his family and friends.

“Neil was last seen in the Loch Dochard area near Bridge of Orchy on Sunday, May 8, 2022.

“Sadly, despite extensive police enquiries and searches by officers and our partners, he remains missing.

“We have kept in regular contact with his family during what has been an incredibly difficult time for them and we will continue to support them in any way we can.

“Any new information received will continue to be investigated fully and I would urge anyone with information on Neil’s whereabouts to contact police on 101, quoting reference 3773 of May 9, 2022.”