A Royal Navy sailor is missing in Dubai after last being seen getting into a taxi five days ago after a night out.

Leading seaman Timothy Andrew Maccoll, 27, from Gosport, Hampshire, and originally from Killin, Perthshire, is not yet accounted for.

He was a member of HMS Westminster's crew and is currently missing in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.

The man's next of kin has been informed and is being provided with support from the Royal Navy.

The ship arrived in Dubai on May 26 and departed on Thursday, May 31.

He has not been seen since getting in to a taxi at around 2am on Sunday, May 27. It is known that he had just left the Rock Bottom Bar which is at the Regent Hotel in the area of Deira, which is approximately a 15 minute drive from Port Rashid where HMS Westminster was docked.

He was alone when he got in the taxi. He was last reported seen by a shipmate.

Mr Maccoll is a married man, with two children aged six and four. His wife Rachael is expecting their third child in October.

Speaking from her home in Gosport today, his wife Rachael said: "We are appealing to the people of Dubai and reaching out to the large ex-pat community to help us find Timmy and raise awareness in that area.

"We are desperately worried. Checks have been made with hospitals, prisons, police stations, medical stations and mortuaries and there is no record of him and no sightings so far.

"I last spoke with Timmy at midday on Saturday and he was in really good spirits and looking forward to speaking with the children on Skype on Sunday.

"That call never happened. It is completely out of character for him not to contact us, and we are completely at a loss and going crazy with worry.

"Wherever Timmy is, I know that he wants to be found, he will want us to find him, we need people to help us do that. He may be in trouble somewhere, he could be trapped as far as we know, we have absolutely no idea. Please, please help us find him."

A Royal Navy spokesman said: "We have one sailor who is currently unaccounted for in Dubai, everything is being done to ensure that he is located safely. His next of kin has been informed."