A woman who was reported missing after visiting Swanage has returned home safe and well.

Mary Harper, 56 and from Surrey, was last seen at 11.45am on Tuesday, September 19 2017, as she walked near Durlston Castle with her husband and family members. 

She took an alternative route to the rest of her group and lost contact with them.

As she had no mobile phone with her she was unable to get in touch with them so made her own way home to Surrey.

Mary made efforts to contact her family overnight, but due to poor phone signal was unable to reach them.

Dorset Police have thanked the public for sharing the appeal.

As reported, police were urgently seeking the public’s help to find Mary.

The group she was with walked from Durlston Castle to Anvil Point lighthouse. As they returned, Mary opted to walk alone on the inland path and agreed to meet her husband and relatives 30 minutes later at Durlston Castle Tea Rooms.

Mary, who has only been to Swanage a small number of times and is not familiar with the area, has not been seen or heard from since and does not have her mobile phone with her. Her family contacted Dorset Police at 5.18pm after searches to find her proved negative.

She is described as black, five feet three inches tall, of medium build and has black hair. She was wearing a blue jacket, black trousers, black boots and possibly a pink and white scarf.

A major search was launched involving officers from Dorset Police, the NPAS police helicopter, Coastguard helicopter and Dorset Search and Rescue Service.