A SEARCH has been launched after a 12-year-old Greenock boy went missing from home.

Police want the assistance of the public to trace Nathan McDermott, who has not been seen since early yesterday afternoon.

Nathan McDermott was last seen at his home in Nicolson Street, Greenock, just before 1pm.

He is approximately 5ft 8 inches in height, of slim build, with short ginger hair and blue eyes.

When last seen he was wearing a black Armani hooded top, black Armani tracksuit bottoms and blue and grey Nike Airmax trainers.

Officers have been speaking to family and friends as well as checking CCTV in the area where he lives and in Clyde Square, Greenock, and in the Drumchapel area where he is known to frequent, but so far there has been no trace of Nathan.

Sergeant Kyle MacDougall, of Greenock police, said: "Nathan is a young boy and although he has been missing once before, it's not like him to be out of contact with family for this length of time.

"I would appeal to him, or anyone who knows where he is, to contact police as soon as possible."

Any information police on 101.