A MISSING man has this afternoon been found semi-conscious on wasteland in Blackburn after a major 13-hour search.

Stephen Hunter, 45, who went missing from his home in Thornton Close, Highercroft, last night, was found by a police dog on land off Pilmuir Road at 1.15pm.

Mr Hunter had called officers at midnight indicating that he was going to take an overdose of pills, police said.

Around 30 police officers, the force helicopter and two mountain rescue teams were involved in the search centring on half a mile of woodland off Highercroft Road and Newfield Drive.

Police were growing increasingly concerned about his welfare and had classed him as 'high risk'.

He was taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital via land ambulance.

Inspector Bilal Mulla of Blackburn police said: "It was a very successful operation and I want to thank all the officers and volunteers from the mountain rescue teams who did a fantastic job.

“Mr Hunter was found semi-conscious on disused land near to an old school and church and is now being treated in hospital.”

Members of the Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue Team (RPMRT) were asked to join police at 2.20am on the manhunt.

Paul Heywood, deputy team leader of RPMRT, said: “The search was quite extensive due to the overgrown vegetation.

“We had to go over many areas again just to make sure that we didn’t miss anything.”

The Bolton Mountain Rescue Team was also involved in the search.