CONCERN was growing last night for missing Pewsey spinster Myrtle Pyburn, 82, who had not been seen since Friday.

Police said they were very concerned for Miss Pyburn in view of her age and the fact that she suffers from Alzheimer's.

Her car, a blue Vauxhall Corsa registration Y969 KOD, was also missing from her home in the centre of the village.

Miss Pyburn, who likes people to call her Pye, was last seen at lunchtime on Friday in the Chequers Bistro in the High Street. Concern was raised when a friend travelled from Oxford to see her on Tuesday and discovered that both Miss Pyburn and her car were missing.

Police have since discovered she failed to keep a doctor's appointment in Pewsey on Tuesday, although they said that was not unusual.

Her nearest relative, nephew James Dowies, travelled from Caversham, near Reading, to Pewsey yesterday to help police with their search.

Miss Pyburn is a retired nursing sister who moved to the village two or three years ago from Budleigh Salterton, in Devon.

PC Ivor Noyce, leading the investigation, said: "She normally tells one of her neighbours when she is going out but she did not do so this time."

Miss Pyburn is described as about 5ft3in tall with thin gingery/sandy collar length and slightly wavy hair.

Anyone who sees Miss Pyburn or her car or who spoke to her on Friday is asked to contact Pewsey police station on (01672) 562222 or the Wiltshire police switchboard on (01380) 722341.