Karen Buckley missing: Police search Glasgow park for clues as hunt continues for student

Police said they were 'gravely concerned' for her safety after she vanished after a night out with friends on Saturday

Karen Buckley, 24, went missing in Glasgow in the early hours of Sunday 12 April (Facebook)

Police are combing a park in Glasgow for clues into the disappearance of a student who vanished three days ago after a night out.

Karen Buckley, 24, has not been seen since the early hours of Sunday morning and detectives have said they are “gravely concerned” for her safety.

Today’s searches with specialist officers, divers, dogs and helicopters are focused on Dawsholm Park, where Miss Buckley’s handbag was found on Tuesday afternoon.

A police officer searches the undergrowth in Dawsholm Park in Glasgow (PA)

The park lies more than two miles from The Sanctuary night club where she was on a night out with friends on Saturday before disappearing at 1am.

Miss Buckley was seen leaving with a man who told police he drove her to his home, which he claims she left at around 4am, planning to walk home.

Police said he was not being treated as a suspect and is helping with enquiries.

The man’s Dorchester Avenue flat is a short walk from Dawsholm Park, which lies in the opposite direction from the house Miss Buckley shares with friends in the Garnethill area of the city.

Police outside flats Dorchester Avenue in Glasgow, which was visited by missing student Karen Buckley in the early hours of Sunday. (PA)

A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “The search resumed at first light this morning with specialist search officers and air support in the area of Dawsholm Park and the north west of Glasgow.”

He added that the public response to appeals for information had been good and urged people to continue contacting officers with anything that could be of use.

Miss Buckley, from Cork in Ireland, is studying occupational therapy at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Her parents arrived in Scotland yesterday to appeal for help finding her.

Photos from the night she disappeared posted on the 'Please Help Find Karen missing in Glasgow' Facebook group (Facebook)

Her mother, Marian, told a news conference: “We just want Karen home safely, we are desperate. She is our only daughter, we love her dearly.

"If anybody has any information please come forward, we would dearly appreciate it."

Miss Buckley's father, John, said: "If anybody is holding Karen, if anybody knows anything of her, please return her. Please let's have her back. We love her to bits."

Marian and John Buckley speak to the media in Glasgow on Tuesday (PA)

Scotland's First Minister said police are working around the clock to find the missing student.

Nicola Sturgeon told Sky News: "Our thoughts, our prayers, are with Karen Buckley and of course with her family."

Police are appealing for information on a grey car that was seen on the roads between Milngavie and Drymen north of Glasgow between 11am and 3pm on Monday.

Detective Superintendent Jim Kerr, from Police Scotland's major investigations teams, said they were "concerned" about its activities on the country roads and want to know why the vehicle was there.

Det Insp Kerr said Miss Buckley’s failure to contact her friends was “out of character”.

“The objective of this inquiry is to trace Karen safe and well and that remains our priority,” he added.

Karen Buckley has not been seen since leaving a nightclub on Sunday morning (PA)

“We’re gravely concerned that Karen has come to some harm - whether that’s due to foul play, criminality or if she was taken unwell or had an accident is obviously still to be established.

“Karen is a lovely girl, close to her family and popular with her friends…this is understandably a heartbreaking time for her family.”

Miss Buckley’s friends said she had been drinking but was not drunk and could “take care of herself” after travelling extensively in the US, Thailand and South Africa.

She also spent a year at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Essex working as a nurse before beginning her course in Glasgow.

She is described as white, around 155-160cm tall (5ft 2ins), with dark hair and brown eyes.

Miss Buckley was wearing long black curly hair extensions at the time of her disappearance, a black jumpsuit with red high heels and a black handbag. She speaks with an Irish accent.

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 and ask for the incident room at Govan Police Office, or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.