Missing Scottish cyclist feared to have eaten potentially lethal mushroom

Steven Harper has not been heard from since late November

The family of a Dundee cyclist missing in France say they fear he may have eaten a potentially lethal wild mushroom.

Steven Harper, 38, who was cycling from Dundee to India, lost contact with his family late last month. They now believe he may have become ill after eating a wild mushroom foraged from the French countryside.

Mr Harper, who teaches English as a foreign language, left Scotland on his trip in 2022 and has not seen his family since. However, his sister-in-law said she had received a series of messages from him shortly before he lost contact, saying he had picked and boiled some mushrooms growing at the side of the road and had subsequently felt unwell.

Steven Harper's brother, Dale, has travelled to Nice to find him.

His brother, Dale, 40, who has travelled to France to search for him, said Mr Harper had been robbed of all of his belongings, including his bike, in Nice. Mr Harper was believed to have just a few personal possessions with him, including a sleeping bag.

His last post on social media was geo-tagged to a hilltop overlooking Roquebrune-Cap-Martin between the principality and the town of Menton.

Dale said: "Steven said he had been throwing up, but he felt better. But it was radio silence from then. No one has been able to get a hold of him since and we don't know if he is living with a debilitated body, if something has happened with the mushrooms he ate, where he slept.

"He had almost everything taken from him in Nice. It's not unusual not to see Steven for long periods, but he had an itinerary and gives pretty regular updates on his movements."

Dale said both the French and Italian police had been contacted. Authorities in Monaco have also been made aware of Mr Harper’s disappearance. It was believed Mr Harper had planned to travel along the south coast of France before crossing into Italy.

"Coming here was the first step in finding him, but it is all very confusing right now," Dale told BBC Scotland from Nice, where he is trying to track down his brother.

"I have just been crying uncontrollably at times. Me and Steven didn't see each other all the time, but we were still very close.

"We think he could have wandered into Italy. He might have been confused. We just don't know at the moment."

A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: "We are supporting the family of a British man and are in contact with the local authorities."