UPDATE Fri 27th 7.45am: Police say Liam Watkins has been found after a major search operation.

Police have launched a plea for help finding a missing Saltcoats man, in the wake of a full scale coastguard and helicopter search of the coast off the Three Towns.

Emergency services are trying to trace Liam Watkins, 37, who was last seen in a convenience store in Hamilton Street, Saltcoats on the night of Wednesday, October 25.

Police enquiries now have established Liam may have been in the Saltcoats harbour area in the early hours of Thursday.

As revealed by the Herald earlier today, police officers, coastguards and a helicopter team were seen searching Ardrossan's Clyde Marina as well as the Saltcoats waterside this morning.

RNLI lifeboat crews from Troon are also taking part in the search.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "We are appealing for assistance from the public to help trace Liam Watkins, 37, who is missing from Saltcoats.

"Liam was last seen around 9.55pm on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, in a convenience store on Hamilton Street.

"He is white, 6ft, has long dark hair which is in a ponytail, and he has tattoos on both arms. He was wearing a leather jacket, a pastel-coloured rainbow hooded top, a ‘Madonna’ t-shirt, dark-coloured jeans and black hiking boots."

Inspector Jackie Melvin from Saltcoats Police Station added: “Officers are searching the area where he was last seen on CCTV and along the coastline from Saltcoats Harbour where enquiries have established that he may have been in that area in the early hours of this morning.

“We’d appeal to anyone who has seen Liam or who may have information as to where he may be, to get in touch.

“We’d also ask Liam himself to contact police or his family to let us know he is safe and well.”

Police, coastguard, helicopter rescue and lifeboat teams were alerted at 6.15am today and the coastguard helicopter has been flying over the area for much of the morning.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said earlier today: "Police are carrying out a search of the water at Clyde Marina, Ardrossan following a report last night (Wednesday, October 25) of a missing person."

A spokesperson for the Coastguard said: "HM Coastguard has been responding to an incident in the Saltcoats and Ardrossan area this morning, October 26.

"Since the alert at around 6.15am, Coastguard Rescue Teams from Ayr and Ardrossan, lifeboats from Troon and the Coastguard helicopter from Prestwick have been sent to assist."

Information can be passed to police via 101. Please quote incident number 4037 of Wednesday, October 25, 2023 when calling.