A MAJOR air and sea search was launched this evening following unconfirmed reports of a missing woman along the Longniddry coastline.

A search and rescue helicopter flew low over Cockenzie and Port Seton for quite some time after 11pm, with the noise of its blades leading many residents to venture outside in the dark, some wearing only dressing gowns, to investigate.

Along the coast at Longniddry, search teams with torches combed the beach and John Muir Way until after midnight while, on the Forth, the RNLI patrolled the water.

Among the agencies involved were the police, the fire brigade, and Border Search and Rescue.

A large crowd of people watched the drama unfold outside Seton Sands Holiday Park while the Longniddry Bents car parks were full of emergency vehicles and onlookers.

Unconfirmed reports on social media claimed a 21-year-old woman had gone missing.

It was said after 1am that she had been found safe and well in Glasgow but police have yet to confirm whether this is the case.