Mystery of suicide note and clothes left on Forth coast

The letter sparked a major sea search involving a Navy helicopter and lifeboats, which battled against gale force winds and stormy waves.

The rescuers scoured the Firth of Forth for signs of someone in distress, but found nothing and the search was called off two hours later.

The suicide note, which was found on Sunday at about 2pm, was addressed "Dear Dave" and signed "K" and the clothes, including beige trousers and size eight trainers, are believed to belong to a man.

However, no-one has reported seeing the clothes being left at the scene or anyone entering the water.

A police spokeswoman said: "We are assuming because the white training shoes are size eight that they belonged to a man, rather than a woman, but that is still just an assumption.

"We searched the area, and the lifeboat has also been involved, but no body or anything else has been found in the area related to the initial find.

"We would ask anyone who might know someone called Dave, or someone with the initial K, to get in touch with us immediately.

"Our inquiries will continue but so far there is nothing new to report."

The clothes were found near Hopetoun House, an area which is well-used by walkers. David McLean, 53, from Kinross, was reported as saying: "This is a very popular stretch of road as there is a place to sit in your car overlooking the Forth at the end of it.

"I am surprised no-one saw anyone acting strangely or going into the water on a Sunday afternoon."

A Forth Coastguard spokesman said: "We were out on manoeuvres on Sunday patrolling the piece of water near Port Edgar on the way to Hopetoun House.

"We swung back round there about an hour later at around 2pm and it was then that we discovered the pile of clothes and suicide note.

"After realising what might have happened we instructed a full search, which also involved helicopters, but we did not find a body."

But lifeboat crews did make one rescue on Sunday when they picked up four tourists who had become stranded on Cramond Island.

They were already involved in the search when they got the SOS call.

Scott McIlravie, helmsman of the lifeboat from Kinghorn, Fife, said: "We launched into a full Gale Force 8 westerly wind and made slow, but heavy progress towards Inchcolm island.

"The waves were so steep and the wind so strong that I couldn't risk anything other than head on until I was closer to Inchcolm island and the narrower Forth area.

"We decided that attempting to land on the exposed beaches on the western side would be too dangerous in the conditions, so I took the lifeboat to the eastern side of the island."

The crew members helped the two Polish men and two South African women on to the boat as it stayed close to the rocks. They were brought ashore at Granton.