EMERGENCY services scoured the coastline into the early hours as the search for a missing Dorchester man continues.

A major search was launched yesterday to find Hugh Cox, 61, who failed to turn up to work.

Dorset Police was assisted by the Coastguard helicopter and Dorset Search and Rescue team (DorSAR).

Officer discovered Mr Cox’s abandoned car at Ringsted Bay at around 9.30pm last night.

From 11pm officers on the ground and the police helicopter concentrated the search around the Ringstead area.

The search continued into the early hours of the morning with active reports still coming in at 3.20am.

A spokesman for the coastguard also confirmed its helicopter was deployed at around 11.30pm last night and searched the Weymouth bay and harbour area for three-and-a-half hours.

Dorset Police have confirmed that Mr Cox has not yet been located and the search will resume this morning.

Officers are urging members of the public with any information to come forward.

The alarm was raised yesterday morning after Mr Cox failed to turn up to his job in Poole.

It is believed he left his home address in White Lackington at around 7am yesterday in his blue Volkswagen Tiguan Estate with the registration number DE08 XFJ.

He is described as 5ft 6ins tall, with grey hair and wears half-moon glasses. He is usually formally dressed in a suit or shirt and tie, but it is not known what he is wearing today.

Chief Inspector Heather Dixey, of Dorset Police, said: “For Hugh not to turn up to work is completely out of character and we are concerned for his welfare as we believe he was very upset.

“We are making every effort to try and locate him and have been carrying out searches in the Dorchester area.

“I would urge anyone who sees a man matching the description given or the vehicle, or who knows where he may be, to contact police immediately.

“If Hugh sees this appeal, I would also ask that he please gets in touch with us or your family because we all want to ensure you are safe and well.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via email 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting incident number 20:142.