The family of missing pensioner William Dunk are growing increasingly concerned for his safety.

They are waiting anxiously for news as a massive search for him involving dozens of people is set to enter a third night without news of his whereabouts.

The search and rescue operation was launched yesterday for Mr Dunk, 74, who was last seen at 11am on Tuesday morning near his home in Denby Dale.

Police have confirmed they have had no positive sightings of Mr Dunk despite the widespread police and mountain rescue search effort.

Detectives at Huddersfield CID are leading the enquiry and have set up a special operations room to deal with the incident which continues to be a ‘top priority’.

Det Insp Stephanie Wiseman, of Huddersfield CID, said: “There have been no positive sighting of Mr Dunk which is increasingly worrying. We are doing everything we can to trace him and keeping his family informed.”

A 16-strong team of Holme Valley Mountain Rescue volunteers searched throughout Tuesday and Wednesday for the missing man.

On Tuesday night the team coverered farmland and wooded areas between Denby Dale, Kitchenroyd and Skelmanthorpe.

And on Wednesday morning the team resumed the search, with 18 members to cover more areas of woodland and fields towards Lower Cumberworth.

Owen Phillips, a spokesman for Holme Valley Mountain Rescue team said; “Despite the best efforts of our members, and a considerable number of police searchers, we have been unable to locate the missing gentleman so far.

“We have now committed our members for a night and a day, and it’s difficult to ask them to take any more time off from their day jobs this week.

“However if the man doesn’t turn up by the weekend we will more than likely be out again on Saturday”.

The West Yorkshire Police helicopter has also been drafted in for the search, alongside police teams.”

Police are treating Mr Dunk’s disappearance as ‘high risk’ due to his age and the fact that he is taking medication and said it was imperative that he is located.

He was last seen between 11am and 12.15pm on Tuesday, having left his house in Pingle Rise at around 10.30am.

Mr Dunk is described as of medium build, 5ft 3in tall and was wearing light blue jeans, a red or green fleece jacket and flat cap. His shoes are believed to be black slip ons.

He has distinctive tattoos of ‘Scots’ and ‘land’ on his knuckles and the name ‘Catherine’ on his shoulder. He also has other tattoos on his arms.

Anyone who has information on the appeal should contact Huddersfield CID on 101.