The search for a Bolton man missing while on holiday in Madeira is being conducted solely by firefighters, according to Portuguese sources.

Darren Kay, a keen fell-runner, was on holiday in the town of Calheta on the Portuguese island with his partner. They went for a two-hour run on the afternoon of Sunday, December 11.

He had told his partner that he would carry on running for another 30 minutes, but never returned.

Mr Kay's brother Jonny said: "She was just waiting for him and he didn't come back."

Mr Kay's family did not have much information but understood windy weather conditions and high tides had prevented searches in some areas, his brother told the BBC.

Police in Calheta confirmed that a search for Mr Kay now living in Sedbergh was being resumed at 10am on Wednesday.

According to a Portuguese publication, the search was resumed but only by Calheta firefighters.

The search began at 10am in the same place as Tuesday - Faja do Mar, Arco da Calheta, with four firefighters and one other vehicle at the scene.

The publication stated that as far as it was possible to verify, the PSP (Public Security Police) had cancelled their searches on Wednesday.

Mr Kay's brother said he hoped to encourage people on the island to help with the search but did not know 'how realistic that is'.

Mr Kay said: "We would urge any local resident or tourist who saw Darren running alone on Sunday afternoon to come forward to the police so his last location can be pinpointed."

Mr Kay's parents travelled out to the Portuguese island on Monday but his brother had to wait for a flight from Manchester on Tuesday that was delayed by the weather.

"That's the frustration of being sat here all day because it's a day wasted when we could have been looking," he said.

Mr Kay is originally from Bolton and is well-known within the fell-running community, having been a runner for around 20 years.

His brother said he had competed for England and was a part of the Calder Valley Fell Runners.