Search for missing schoolboy enters fifth day

The search for missing Castlederg teenager Brendan Rushe (15) has entered its fifth day, with still no trace of the boy.

An additional 100 Garda from nearby counties have been drafted in to help comb an ever-widening area, but the search is being hampered by atrocious weather.

Brendan disappeared in the early hours of Monday morning after visiting a nightclub in Donegal town and Gardai have been trying to piece together his movements ever since.

It is known that Brendan spoke with two Gardai at around 4am on Monday, who found him "Courteous" and he told them he was going to get a bus home – which he did not take. There are no definite sightings of him after this but the proprietor of a local guesthouse was woken at 6am by a boy answering Brendan's description. The door was not answered and the boy headed off in the direction of Donegal town.

Gardai have appealed for a motorist who may have seen Brendan running along the Donegal town quay at around 6.30am to contact them.

A pair of shoes, which were originally thought to belong to Brendan, were ruled out of the enquiry, yesterday.

Two companies of British soldiers from the Parachute and the Prince of Wales' Own regiments, along with two British Army helicopters, are combing the Northern side of the border while hundreds residents of Brendan's home town assist Gardai in searching bogland and rural areas outside Donegal town.

Brendan Rushe is 5' 8" tall, with slim build, dark brown, short hair, brown eyes and has braces on his teeth. He was wearing a cream shirt, grey trousers and black shoes and had a black jumper with him.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Garda at Donegal Town on: 00353 73 21021, or the PSNI incident room in Castlederg on: 028 7137 9835.

(GB)