Father of missing Allan: My family face a waiting game
Hope for answers after police discover remains
A GRIEVING father who believes his son was murdered when he vanished seven years ago has been visited by police after human remains were found a mile from his home.
Allan Bryant was last seen leaving a nightclub in Glenrothes, Fife, on November 3, 2013, following an evening out with friends.
His family, who believe he was killed, now face an agonising wait before tests can establish whether or not he has finally been found.
Last night Mr Bryant’s father, also Allan, said he hoped the discovery would bring some closure for himself and his wife Marie.
Speaking to the Evening Telegraph, Mr Bryant said: ‘It’s a waiting game at this stage. We don’t yet know if it is Allan but we are hoping so.
‘If it is, we can finally start to get closure and move on.
‘This site is only a mile from the house, it would be awful to think he had only been a mile away all this time.’
The 23-year-old’s disappearing ance sparked one of the largest missing persons inquiries ever carried out by Police Scotland, but no trace of him was found.
His parents are hoping for a breakthrough after police were called to an industrial site in the Fife town on Sunday night following the discovery of a body.
Mr Bryant disclosed that detectives had been in contact within hours of it being found.
Writing on social media yesterday morning, he said: ‘My family had a visit from Glenrothes CID last night [and] they informed us that human remains were found at a local industrial estate, which is not far from our home.
‘This is all my family know at the moment, until the police and forensics carry out their investigation. This is a heartbreaking and distressing time for all my family [as] we do not know if this is our son Allan or not. Thank you all so much for your continued support.’
Police Scotland confirmed that Whitehill Industrial Estate was sealed off by officers on Sunday night.
Specialist forensic teams remained at the cordoned off scene yesterday. Detective
Inspector Christopher Dow, the senior officer dealing with the discovery of the body, said: ‘A full investigation is under way to establish the person’s identity and the circumstances surrounding how they came to be there, as well as what may have happened.’
He added: ‘Enquiries are still at an early stage. We’re contacting relatives of long-term missthat people in the local area and will continue to keep them updated during the investigation. Our thoughts are with them all at this difficult time.’
An update, posted on social media by Mr Bryant last night, said: ‘[The police] explained to us forensics will take several days before the human remains were found can be removed. At this point we do not know if the human remains found are that of our missing son, Allan.
‘As you can imagine, it’s a horrendous time for all my family. If there are any updates, I will let everyone know as soon as possible. Thank you all so much for your continued support. Love from myself and Marie.’
Allan Bryant had been out with friends at an engagement party at a golf club on the night he went missing.
The group later went to the town’s Styx nightclub and he was last seen on CCTV leaving around 2am.
Although the club was only a ten-minute walk from his home, he never returned.
He had left his jacket at the engagement party before travelling to the nightclub by taxi. He did not have any money, bank cards, ID or mobile phone with him.
‘Only a mile from the house’ ‘Will take several days’