A charity is to send images of high-risk missing people to Royal Mail postmen and women on their handheld digital devices so they can keep an eye out for them.
Missing People, which reunites missing children and adults with their families, started working in partnership with the Royal Mail after a child was reported missing on a postman's round in London in 2014.
Since then 120,000 postmen and women have received alerts about 212 high-risk missing people on their devices, the charity said.
Until now, the alerts included physical descriptions of people to look out for. But now they will also include images after the technology was upgraded.
Jo Youle, chief executive of Missing People, said: "Families waiting for news have told us how much of a comfort and encouragement it is to know that postal workers are helping in the search for their loved ones.
"We believe that this new update will give Royal Mail’s front-line staff the best chance possible to recognise vulnerable missing people in their communities, helping to reunite them with their families."
David Gold, director of public affairs and policy at the Royal Mail, said: "Postmen and women are uniquely well placed to keep an eye out for people when they are out and about in their local communities."
