Search for missing woman (78) in fourth day

The search continues today for a 78-year-old woman missing from a Co Wicklow nursing home since Christmas night.

The search continues today for a 78-year-old woman missing from a Co Wicklow nursing home since Christmas night.

Gardaí searching for Maura Reynolds are particularly interested in any sightings of the woman on Bray seafront, near Bray Head, or on the Bray Head walk between 9pm and 11pm on Christmas night.

This was a number of hours before she was reportedly seen in her room by staff at the Tara Nursing Home on Putland Road.

Paul Costello, joint director of the nursing home said "to the best of our knowledge" she was seen by a nurse at the premises shortly after midnight.

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The alarm was raised at 6.30am on St Stephen's Day when her bed was found to be empty.

Ms Reynolds, a grandmother of nine and great grandmother of one, has been suffering from Alzheimer's disease and severe dementia. She also has cancer of the spine, which means she is unable to walk long distances.

Her son George Reynolds thanked both gardaí and the public for their support on a third day of searches yesterday.

Ms Reynolds is described as 163cm (5ft 4in) with white hair and she walks with a slight stoop. She is believed to have been wearing a dark purple suit. According to members of her family, she had been dropped back to the home at 9.30pm on December 25th after enjoying Christmas dinner with them.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Bray Garda station at 01-666 5300.