THE public are being urged to search their properties for a missing Cwm man who was last seen nearly one month ago.

David Edwards, 79, was last seen on CCTV footage at his home at Cwm Rhydderch Court in Cwm on Sunday, July 27.

His niece Tracey Rowland, 51, of Ebbw Vale, said the family would like to appeal to the public to keep an eye out for Mr Edwards and to search their own properties and land.

She said: "We'd like to appeal to anybody who's perhaps been on holiday or who was going away on that day or people going to work early in the morning, perhaps they may have seen somebody. Or to anyone who may have been away and hasn't heard yet and anybody else walking with their dogs in the Blaenau Gwent area."

The family posted on the public Facebook page appealing for information about Mr Edwards' disappearance that the police have advised them not to do a large public search.

Mrs Rowland added: "It's a bit difficult to do a public search. If the area is overgrown, you don't know what you're letting yourself in for."

She urged the public to check any out buildings or bits of land they own as the police cannot carry out searches of private grounds and have already checked all the open public areas.

Mrs Rowland added: "I think as time goes on, there's less hope. Obviously we're all very concerned. As a family we want closure."

She added that the family were "very grateful" for the support they had received from the public.

CCTV footage showed Mr Edwards at home on July 27 at 5.30am, wearing a long grey coat and a brown beanie hat.

Mr Edwards worked in both the mining industry and in the steelworks before he retired, and has suffered with a bad back for several years.

Mrs Rowland said that Mr Edwards used to frequent the Garden City and Cwm Waun Llwyd areas

He is described as white, around 5ft 2in tall, of frail build with shaved grey/white hair.

His niece previously said that Mr Edwards suffered with some ill health.

“He takes tablets for his blood pressure,” she told the Argus. “We think he may be a little bit depressed at the moment, but this came out of the blue. It’s so strange and not at all like him.”

To keep up to date on the search visit facebook.com/finddavidedwards

Anyone with information relating to his whereabouts is asked to call Gwent Police on 101, quoting log 202 28/07/14.