Hazel North search: 'Fresh sighting' of missing teenager
Police investigating the disappearance of a teenager from Dunfermline believe she may have been spotted in Stranraer earlier this week.
Hazel North, 19, from the Cairneyhill area of the town, last contacted her sister by phone on 4 March.
Forensics experts have searched a flat and garden in Kilmarnock, but did not find anything suspicious.
Detectives are now investigating a sighting of Ms North in Stranraer's Coronation Drive on Tuesday.
The sighting was made at about midday, when Ms North was thought to have been in the company of another woman, who was described as being about 5ft 8in tall, of medium build with short, dark hair in a bob style.
She was wearing a dark hooded top and dark blue jogging trousers.
Police Scotland have urged this woman to come forward and speak to them. They have also issued a new photograph of Ms North.
The force said "extensive inquiries" were continuing in Dunfermline, Kilmarnock and Stranraer to locate Ms North, and officers were in the process of reviewing CCTV images in an effort to find out more information about her whereabouts.
Her family was said to have grown "increasingly concerned" for her and just want to know she is safe and well.
Ms North, who is originally from Dunfermline and has also lived in Stranraer, is described as being 5ft 8in in height and of slim build with a fair complexion. She has brown hair.
Supt Neil Kerr said: "We are currently following a number of lines of inquiry, speaking to family and friends to ascertain more information about Hazel and as to where she may be.
"Her family is obviously concerned by the lack of contact from her and they just want to know she is safe and well. If anyone has any information which could help us locate Hazel, please do contact us."
Ms North had told her sister she was going to Kilmarnock to meet a male friend.
A forensic team started searching a flat and garden in Kilmarnock's Northcraig Road early on Friday morning, but had not uncovered "anything that would give cause for concern" when the search concluded on Saturday afternoon.
Supt Kerr told BBC Scotland police were only informed of the teenager's disappearance on Friday.
He also said she had recently been living in Stranraer with family and had contacted her sister by phone or text message.
"Hazel North is a vulnerable missing person," he said. "We have carried out an extensive search of the house and rear garden as we would with any missing person inquiry.
"But we haven't uncovered anything that would give us any cause for concern at this stage".
He urged Ms North, or anyone who who knows where she is, to contact police.
"Hazel, if you are out there, can you please get in touch with police as soon as you can and let us know that you are ok," he said.
Supt Kerr said a number of officers throughout the country were working on the inquiry.
Anyone who has seen Ms North, or who may have information about her disappearance, should contact police on 101.