THE FAMILY of a pensioner who has been missing for more than a week has made an emotional plea for him to come home.

Alison Graham, the niece of Matthew Bowie, made the plea at a press conference in Kirkintilloch this afternoon.

The 83-year-old, known to friends and family as Matt, was last seen at Gleneagles Gardens in Bishopbriggs on Saturday January 23, and was reported missing by his family three days later after they couldn't get in touch with him.

Niece Alison was joined by Matt's nephew Robert Bowie, 50, and his 80-year-old sister Jean Allan as she made the plea for 'Uncle Matt' to come home.

She said: "We just want to hear some news, any news at all, and Matt, if you are out there, we want you back.

"We are concerned about the fact we haven't heard anything from Matthew. "Matthew is known to family, friends, neighbours as Uncle Matt.

"He enjoys going out, and is the kind of uncle who, if you were doing something, he would always follow it up to see how you got on.

"That's what makes it so difficult, that we haven't heard anything from him."

Matt's family told of how the 83-year-old was "a bit of an explorer" and enjoyed walking around the canal area in Bishopbriggs.

He is not thought to suffer from any serious health problems and does not have a history of going missing, with his disappearance described as being "very out of character" by police.

Inspector Gerry Corrigan, of Kirkintilloch police appealed to Bishopbriggs residents and those who work in the area to help find the pensioner.

He also said specialist search teams, including underwater search squads, have been deployed in the hunt, but there have been no confirmed sighting of the 83-year-old since January 23.

Inspector Corrigan said: "I would like to ask the people who live, work and travel around the area of Bishopbriggs that they have a look at the photograph we have put out of Matt.

"If they have been out an about, have they seen Matt?

"If they have seen Matt, or think they have seen someone who matches the description of Matt, to get in touch with police on 101 immediately, and they will be put through to a dedicated incident room."

The inspector also appealed directly to the pensioner to contact police, or a family member, if he becomes aware of the missing persons inquiry.

Anyone with information can contact Kirkintilloch police on 101.