Family fears over missing boy

About 150 people are involved in the search

The family of a missing County Tyrone schoolboy have said they are now very concerned for his safety.

Police in the Republic of Ireland believe they may have found shoes belonging to 15-year-old Brendan Rushe.

Brendan, from Castlederg, has not been seen since leaving a night club in Donegal town in the early hours of Monday morning.

The family are very distraught because Brendan would always have come home or contacted home

Collette Rushe

His family said a pair of shoes found along the roadside five miles outside the town on Tuesday were his.

His mother, Collette, said the family had no idea where Brendan went after leaving his friends.

"They left him in the disco and he said he was getting a later bus home," she said.

"There were three buses coming from Donegal town and he said he was getting a later one.

"The family are very distraught because Brendan would always have come home or contacted home.

"I don't expect to find him alive again - I would just like to find him at this stage."

Brendan Rushe has been missing since Monday

Her husband John appealed to farmers to check their farms and land to see if there was any sign of their son.

A coastguard helicopter resumed its search on Wednesday but had to return to base amid poor weather conditions.

Police and coastguard units are concentrating their search around Lough Mourne and a feeder river just north-east of Donegal town.

A crew from Killybegs coastguard unit are searching along the riverbanks on the route which the teenager would have taken after leaving the nightclub.

About 150 people, including relatives of the missing boy, are involved in the search.

Concern

A spokesman for the Department of the Marine said: "The search is now concentrating near to the scene where the shoes were found.

"We are searching in the area which we understand the youngster would have taken on his way home.

"Around two dozen men from the coastguard unit have been searching along the riverbank leading to Lough Mourne, but due to weather conditions a coastguard helicopter has had to be called out of the search for now."

Collette Rushe: "Family are very distraught"

Police on both sides of the border have said there is "serious concern" for the boy's safety.

The missing boy is 5'8" tall, with slim build, dark brown, short hair and brown eyes. He has braces on his teeth.

He was wearing a cream shirt, grey trousers and black shoes and he had a black jumper with him.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the police at Castlederg on 028 81671202.