Missing nurse found in car boot

Magdeline Makola is a nurse specialising in heart medicine

A nurse missing for more than a week in West Lothian has been found alive in the boot of her own car.

South African-born Magdeline Makola, who lives alone in Livingston, had last been seen finishing a shift on 15 December at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Police said she was discovered in the car in Airdrie, about 20 miles from her home, at noon on Boxing Day.

Ms Makola, 38, is in hospital being treated for minor injuries. No-one has been arrested so far.

Friends of the nurse, who works in heart medicine, had expressed concerns for her safety after she failed to turn up for work.

They said her disappearance was out of character.

We need to establish the exact circumstances of how Magdeline came to be within the boot of the vehicle Lothian and Borders Police spokesman

Police began making inquiries and searched her home, where they found her work bag ready with her uniform and a packed lunch.

Her passport and bank cards were also in her house, but her car was gone.

On Boxing Day, Ms Makola, who moved to Scotland six years ago and is now a British citizen, was found in the red Vauxhall Astra in Meadowside Place, in Airdrie, Lanarkshire.

She was taken to Monklands Hospital in Airdrie with minor injuries.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said: "At the moment this inquiry is at its very early stages and we need to establish the exact circumstances of how Magdeline came to be within the boot of the vehicle.

"We are appealing for anyone who may have seen Magdeline since she went missing last week to contact us.

"In particular we want to hear from anyone who has seen the red-coloured Vauxhall Astra, registration Y295 SRS, being driven in the central belt since Magdeline was last seen on December 15."

Officers believe the vehicle has been driven in the Chapelhall area of Airdrie and in Glasgow city centre since she went missing.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police or call Crimestoppers in confidence.