Family search for missing Ralph, 18

Ralph disappeared after he fell from cliffs in the Angus town last weekend.

Family members Billy and Gary Sorrie have asked family and friends to join them tomorrow to conduct a “safe search” for the 18-year-old.

Ralph’s disappearance while out walking with his dad, also Ralph, set off a tragic sequence of events for the family.

A vigil was held in Dundee’s Drumlanrig Drive the night Ralph went missing, during which two of his cousins, Julie McCash and David Sorrie, died.

Speaking on social media, Billy and Gary said: “As most of you will be aware, tragedy struck our family three times in the space of 24 hours with the deaths of Wee Ralphie, Julie and David.

“To say this week has been unbearable would be an understatement. Each and every single member of our family is heartbroken beyond belief and we are all still in shock. “Our despair deepens as at this moment Wee Ralphie’s body has still not been recovered.”

The pair said that the heartache of his parents Nicola and Ralph was “unimaginable” at the thought of not being able to lay their son to rest. They added: “As a family, we are organising a safe search on Saturday covering as many beach areas and accessible routes as possible, both north and south of Arbroath cliffs.

“Anyone wishing to help with this search is more than welcome but we must stress that this will be a safe search, as we do not want to put anyone in any danger.

“With that in mind, we must ask that anyone wishing to participate should be fit and healthy, over the age of 18, come fully prepared for bad weather with the correct clothing and has transport available.

“Once we have full details of meeting points, I will send out an update for everyone interested.”

The bodies of Julie McCash and David Sorrie were discovered in the street in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Robert Stratton, 42, of Drumlanrig Drive, was subsequently charged with their murder and the attempted murder of a third person.

THE family of missing Arbroath teenager Ralph Smith are organising their own search to find his body.

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Ralph Smith