Son thanks community after incredible rescue effort to find his dad in Sanquhar

02.12.2022 - 17:25 / dailyrecord.co.uk

A major emergency services and community effort helped find a Dumfriesshire pensioner who was missing for almost 10 hours.

Sixty-nine-year-old Ian Bonnar from Sanquhar was “cold and confused” when he was eventually found in a field by a farmer on Wednesday night.

Mr Bonnar, who has Alzheimer’s, had been reported missing after failing to return home.

He had left to walk his two dogs, Dollar and Lola, at around 11.15am.

Police officers and members of both Moffat and Galloway Mountain Rescue Teams mounted a search operation as fears for Ian’s safety grew.

And more than 100 volunteers joined in the hunt in freezing temperatures and fog as darkness descended.

Mr Bonnar’s son, also Ian, told the Standard yesterday: “Dad was eventually found by a farmer. He was just standing in a field with his dogs.

“He walks often and it has never been a problem before but it had become very foggy and he must have become very disorientated. It looks like he had just carried on walking until he could walk no more.

“We are just so very, very grateful to everyone from the mountain rescue teams and the police to everyone who came out to look for him. It was amazing.

Mr Bonnar Jnr, from Gatehouse, added: “He is in Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary and they are looking after him. He was obviously cold and confused and they kept him in overnight. His dogs are fine.

“He was born in Kelloholm but has lived in Sanquhar for 42 years and both he and mum, Ann, are well known. Dad was a painter and decorator for many years and then a bus driver before he retired. It was so heartwarming to see how everyone rallied to help us.

“Everyone has been asking after the dogs too and they are both fine. We now plan to put trackers on them.”

Mr Bonnar’s brothers Ronnie and