Family pin hopes on possible sighting of missing Liam Colgan

The family of a former Perth student missing in Germany say they have been given a “chink of light” in their desperate search for him.

Liam Colgan, 29, vanished while on a stag do in Hamburg that he had organised for his 33-year-old brother, Eamonn.

All searches so far have been guided by the last confirmed sighting of the postman, from Inverness, at 1.30am on Saturday in a bar in the notorious Reeperbahn area in the city’s red light district.

However, police are now following up a potential sighting near Buxtehude train station, 48 minutes away by rail. Tracking dogs also picked up a possible scent on Wednesday.

A huge police operation is under way and more than 450 digital billboards across Hamburg are displaying Liam’s photo.

Yesterday Eamonn, his brideto-be Susan and other friends and family members returned to the city to help the search.

Eamonn said: “This is quite a distance from where we had been based and where the Reeperbahn is.

“They didn’t want to get our hopes up as it’s just a scent and not strong information – it’s not an exact science. It obviously gave us a boost this morning.”

The eyewitness said the man, who matched Liam’s description, was confused and had asked for a glass of water.

As the scent was found outside the station, officers think he may have boarded a train to elsewhere in Hamburg.

“We’re now targeting that area with posters and flyers to spread the word,” Mr Colgan added.

“But we can’t only focus there as he could have gone anywhere.

“I didn’t understand the size and scope of this place until he went missing. More time is passing as we look for him, but we have that chink of light and we have to hold on to that.”

Liam, who studied music at Perth College, is a Dundee United fan. Club captain Willo Flood has posted an appeal on the club’s Twitter feed asking people to help find him.