Woods hunt for alleged sex offender

POLICE carried out a major search operation in woodland in West Lothian in the hunt for an alleged sex offender.

Teams of police officers with sniffer dogs searched wooded areas near Bellsquarry and West Calder last night.

A police helicopter was used in the joint operation between Lothian and Borders Police and their Strathclyde colleagues.

It is understood that police are looking for a convicted sex offender who was reported missing from Parkhead Hospital in Glasgow’s East End.

Although the man has been reported as a missing person, he is not thought to be a risk to the general public.

The man is believed to have family connections near Livingston and may have been living rough in the countryside.

A Lothian and Borders Police spokeswoman said: “This person is wanted on warrant. We can’t say any more than that.”