THE distraught family of missing man Dean McIlwaine have pleaded for him to "please come home" a week after he was last seen.
The 22-year-old was last seen on Carnmoney Road in Newtownabbey at around 1pm on Thursday July 13 - a day after the death of his grandfather.
Extensive searches have already been carried out, including in Belfast city centre on Monday night, and yesterday police teams began searching a wood close to Mr McIlwaine's home.
Officers also distributed leaflets on Carnmoney Road in an attempt to jog people's memories.
Speaking at a police press conference yesterday, the missing barber's parents Rod and Karen and brother Glen made an emotional appeal for his return.
Rod McIlwaine said the family have had to endure a long wait for news.
"We're distraught," he said. "The days are just dragging. I can't sleep at night. It's horrible."
He added: "Just come home".
Glen McIlwaine appealed to his brother directly.
"Dean I'm your brother. Wherever you are just let us know something," he said.
"I need my brother back, mum and dad need their son back."
He added: "It's not like him, he would always be in contact, he would always text me... ring somebody," he said.
"He needs to come home now.
"He was opening his barber's at the end of this month, he had everything going for him."
Mr Ilwaine is described as 5'8", of medium build, with blue eyes, dark hair and a beard. He also has tattoos covering both arms.
When he was last seen, he was wearing a short sleeved maroon shirt, denim knee length shorts, dark canvas shoes and a gold watch on his right wrist.
