5 days ago
Family of Scot missing in Portugal fly out to join search as they plead for sightings
The family of a Scot missing in Portugal have spoken of their heartbreak as they plead for locals to help in the search for him.
Greg Monks' worried parents, Lynne McGloin and Gordon Monks, as well as girlfriend Nicole Ashleigh Kelso, have travelled to Albufeira to join the hunt for the 38-year-old amid growing fears for his safety.
The plant mechanic from Glasgow was last seen in the early hours of Wednesday morning during the first night out of a five-day stag do he was on with friends.
Mr Monks, who is due to be a groomsman at the wedding of his friend, told pals he was heading back to his holiday apartment but has not been seen since.
Greg's sister, Jillian Monks, said: 'We are really struggling. We are living in a nightmare, it's sickening.'
Ms Monks said police have told her that her brother was last spotted on CCTV in the quieter residential area of Cerro de Águia – which is around four miles from the Novochoro Apartments he had checked into.
The hill with residential properties is also more than an hour's walk west of the Albufeira Strip, where Mr Monks is thought to have left his friends.
Ms Monks, who has had to remain in Glasgow with her two young children, said travelling out to Portugal had helped her parents feel that they are doing what they can to try to find him.
She has also set up a social media page dedicated to raising awareness of the search.
In one message posted she thanked British holidaymakers, expats and locals for their support, writing: 'As previously stated this is so unlike Greg and we are truly desperate for answers.
'I am now seeking help from residents of the Cerro de Águia area to please check any home cameras or doorbell footage between around 2am and 5am on Wednesday as police believe he was in the area around this time.
'Please share this if you know anyone in the area. Thank you for all the support.' She later added: 'Please, we are desperate.'
The family fear Mr Monks became lost in the unfamiliar surroundings and may have had an accident.
Hospitals have been checked without success but police are not thought to have yet carried out an exhaustive search of medical centres.
This would involve officers going round wards to check on patients admitted without proper identification.
Ms Monks has described her brother as a 'really hard worker' and a 'quiet guy', whose disappearance immediately 'threw up a red flag'.
She said he has a Thor-type Viking unfinished tattoo at the top of his right arm which would be visible if he was wearing a vest top or had no shirt on.
Ms Kelso is said to have checked through Mr Monks' case to see what was missing. As such, the family believe he was wearing a navy blue Nike shorts and top set when he disappeared.
A GoFundMe appeal set up on behalf of the family to help support the search had reached more than £14,700 yesterday afternoon.
Mr Monks' other sister, Carlyn, also pleaded with people online yesterday as she shared the family's appeal for help.
She wrote: 'Please keep sharing and help get my brother home.'
