Scotland's army of postal workers to become the eyes and ears in the search for missing people

Posties are to be recruited to search for missing people across Scotland while doing their daily rounds.

Missing People – a UK-wide charity - has entered a partnership with the Royal Mail that will send alerts of people who are registered missing to 10,800 postal workers as they ply Scotland’s streets.

The alerts will also appear on Royal Mail’s employee website and, where possible, on 1,800 television screens across its offices, reaching all 148,000 staff.

It is hoped that the alerts, sent to handheld scanners used for deliveries, will significantly increase the numbers committed to searching for missing people.

The move is being rolled out across the entire UK, with a total of 124,000 postmen and women involved.

We want to use our unique position to support this important service and perhaps help to reunite families with their missing loved ones - Rob Jenson

Jo Youle, CEO of Missing People, said: "When someone goes missing and is at risk, every minute after a disappearance is crucial to bringing them home safely.

"Our partnership with Royal Mail is a truly inspired way to spread an alert quickly and to the very people who are the eyes and ears of their local communities."

The Royal Mail's Rob Jenson added: "Royal Mail’s postmen and women are out in the community six days a week, across the country.

"We are all very aware of the trauma experienced by the families and communities of missing people, particularly children. We want to use our unique position to support this important service and perhaps help to reunite families with their missing loved ones."