THE SEARCH for Alice Byrne continues almost one week on from when the Edinburgh woman went missing on Hogmanay.

The 28-year-old from Edinburgh was reported missing in the early hours of New Year’s Day. It is understood that she had planned on attending a beach party near the Portobello area to bring in the bells.

Concerns have been growing with each passing day, with her family appealing to everyone and anyone for information that could lead to her being found.

Ms Byrne is described as being white, around 5ft 6 in height and of medium build with short black hair.

It is understood that Ms Byrne is vulnerable and left home without her mobile phone.


What we Know so far:

January 1, 2am

Alice Byrne is reported missing. The first appeals in the search for her had believed she had last been seen around 2am, just a couple of hours after the Hogmanay bells, on Bath Street.

At first, her friends and family had believed her to still be in the Edinburgh or East Lothian area, but also conceded she could ‘potentially be anywhere’.

January 1, 10am

An updated sighting of the 28-year-old places Alice in the very area her family predicted. She was seen leaving a house party on the morning of New Year’s Day around 10am on Marlborough Street in the Portobello area of Edinburgh.

Police are growing increasingly concerned as the search continues, and her family tell them "it is out of character for Alice not to keep in contact with her family and friends."

The Herald:

January 3

Police confirm they are making inquiries to trace Alice. They issue a public appeal as information about her disappearance spreads across various social media platforms.

Her twin brother, Bruno, writes alongside a missing person poster: “My sister Alice has been missing since new years day. 

“Last seen around 2am. We are all really worried and ask if anyone has seen her or spoken to her please contact the police or one of the numbers in the picture."

January 4

Another public appeal is released by Police Scotland, as they receive the update information of when she was last seen in (10am on Marlborough Street).

Alice’s family step forward to urge the public to help find their loved one.

They release information of what she was wearing on her last sighting: an orange jacket, black top, black jeans, and white trainers. She was carrying a black rucksack.

January 5 

Alice’s brother, Alexander issues a desperate plea for anyone who knows anything about his sister’s whereabouts to contact the police, and thanked those who have already helped in the search.

He wrote: “My sister Alice is still missing. Friends and family have been putting up posters around Edinburgh. 

“If you're able to screenshot and print out a few posters, please do. The more people see and hear about Alice, the better chance we have of jogging someone's memory. 

“Thank you everyone for sharing so widely, we’ve been contacted from all over the UK and internationally. Thank you to everyone that’s already spoken to the police, if you're thinking about it, please do so.

"Thanks also to the police who have taken this very seriously and been very helpful. Contact numbers are the same. We will update when we get new info.”

The Herald:

January 5

Police release an updated image of Alice as the search continues. It has now been five full days the young woman has been missing.

More information spreads across social media about Alice and mentions unique features she has to help identify her. A social media post says she has a tattoo of bats on her wrist.

The Herald:

January 6

The search for Alice continues. 

A reminder of the Police appeal: 

“I would again urge anyone who has seen Alice since Saturday morning, or anyone with information on her whereabouts to contact us as soon as possible.

“If Alice reads this appeal, I would urge us to phone her family, friends or the police. Contact 101 quoting reference 0647 of January 2.”