'We've got our fingers crossed': Search for missing St. Andrews uni student Duncan Sim enters fourth day

Distraught friends of a St. Andrews university student who went missing on a night out say his disappearance is completely out of character.

There is still no trace of Duncan Sim, who is in his first year of studying chemistry, as the search to find him enters a fourth day.

The 19-year-old, from Duns in the Scottish Borders, was last seen in the Old Station Road area of St. Andrews on Wednesday, around 11.15 pm, following a social night at Madras Rugby Club.

He has not returned to his student accommodation or made contact with anyone since this time.

Friend Dale Robertson is urging anyone with information to get in touch. He told Tay News: "We don't know what has happened to him, it's not like him at all.

"Duncan is a really confident guy, a very good sportsman, a really good family lad - and being a student he has a lot of friends up there.

"So we've got our fingers crossed that the outcome's good.

"The last time he was seen was on Wednesday night, so if anyone has heard from him since then we'd love to hear from you.

Even if it was just a 'hello' or a message that you've received, anything at all, get in contact so the police can help piece together his last movements and see if we can find him."

Mr Robertson, whose family run a local bus company in the Borders, led more than 100 volunteers on a 200-mile round-trip from the Borders to Fife to find him.

And he praised the local community for rallying round in support of the family of the missing teenager.

Mr Robertson, who is also vice-captain of Duns Rugby Club, said:

"Duncan plays rugby with us when he is home from university and his dad, Dr Sim, helps with the medical side so when we heard the news we wanted to help.

"We put a call out and went up there with two 16-seat minibuses with players on it and some committee - and other people have gone up in their cars.

"There were over 100 people there from Duns alone - from all aspects of sport, like the golf club, cricket club and rugby club."

He added: "The support will continue until we can find Duncan and, hopefully, get him home safe."

Mr Robertson continued:

"Hats off to the university - they've done a great job in organising parties to go out in different areas.

"We've covered nine-and-a-half miles on foot today - and that was just one group of five.

"The students have put up posters right, left and centre and they've been knocking on doors and everybody said they'd already heard about it, so it's out there.

"Social media as well - it's crazy the amount of shares it's got, they're doing really well in getting word out there and hopefully finding him."

Sunday's search is expected to focus on the local coastline at low tide, from 9am.

Ben Peddie, who is listed as an events officer at St Andrews University and is helping to coordinate the search, posted on Facebook:

"After that we currently feel we have exhausted all reasonable areas to search, so unless we have any new advice from the police, we will move onto flyering door-to-door in St Andrews and surrounding towns."

Anyone who can help is being directed to Madras Rugby Club - Old Station Rd, St Andrews, KY16 9SP - which is being used as a base.

Paying tribute, Duncan’s father Gordon Sim said:

"I would like to thank everyone who is involved in looking for Duncan Sim, it is greatly appreciated by all of the family and we are grateful for your ongoing efforts."

Duncan is described as 6ft tall, of medium build.

He has brown hair, green eyes and, when last seen, was wearing a grey-coloured suit jacket, white shirt and a blue and white tie.

Police say they are growing increasingly concerned for Duncan's welfare and they are urging anyone who may have seen him, or a man matching his description, to contact them immediately - by dialling 101 and quoting incident number 2987 of March 15.

• #missing
• #Duns
• #sim