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A FATHER feared dead after vanishing for nine days was found alive by his own sons - after they followed a "hunch" to look for him in the hills.

David and Iain Lyon went out to look for dad Richard themselves, guessing the troubled businessman had taken refuge in the mountains where he loves to walk.

And last night, David, 30, who flew home from Australia to join the search, relived the heart-stopping moment when he and Iain, 26, spotted Richard wandering alone on a remote hill track.

He said: “When we saw him we both said, ‘Oh my God, is that dad?’

“It was like a dream. We couldn’t believe our eyes.

“It was a miracle. Unbelievable really, when you think about it.

“When we found him he was very distressed. He had been walking in the hills for nine days with a rucksack on his back.”

Richard is now being looked after by his family. Wife Noreen said: “I can’t believe he’s home. It’s a miracle.

“It’s an amazing story with a happy ending.”

The incredible reunion near Balquhidder, Perthshire, ended nine days of hell for 59-year-old Richard’s loved-ones.

They had feared they would never see him alive again, and a massive search by police and mountain rescuers had revealed no trace of him.

When Richard left his home in Kirkmichael, Ayrshire on the morning of Tuesday August 2, he left a note for wife Noreen threatening to “finish it all” because his business was struggling in the economic downturn.

He asked Noreen to give his love to “the boys” and their dog Maisie.

Two days later, Richard’s house and car keys arrived in the post. He had sent them back to Noreen on the day he went missing.

Noreen said this week that her husband had been feeling low because his land surveying business, Maybole-based Norwest Surveys, was struggling to survive.

She added: “He said he didn’t want to impose on me financially any more and he was concerned for the future of his business.

“It wasn’t making much money and he was worried about it big time.

“The note gave no indication he was coming back.

“He didn’t want to ask for any more help. He was a very proud man.

“He left with no money. He has no bank and credit cards with him. No means for survival.”

David set up a Facebook page “Missing man, Richard Lyon, needs to be found urgently”, and more than 7000 people visited it to show their support.

The family also made a TV appeal for information on Tuesday this week.

But the days dragged by with no sign of Richard, and the family’s fears grew.

Richard’s car was spotted on the A80 Cumbernauld-Stirling road at about 1.30pm on the day he disappeared.

And on Wednesday this week, the silver Honda CRV was found abandoned in Dunblane, Perthshire.

Police from the Strathclyde and Central Scotland forces, helped by mountain rescue volunteers, began a massive search of the area.

But it was David and Iain who finally tracked their dad down, miles away.

David said: “We drew up a list of locations where we thought he might go hillwalking.

“It was purely on a hunch that we went to this particular remote area and spotted dad walking along a hill track on the side of the road.

“Dad is an experienced hillwalker and has climbed many Munros. He knows how to survive in the hills but we were very worried about him.

“When we brought him down from the hills, he had to have a check-up. Physically he was fine but mentally he was distressed.

“We got him home to mum who was very emotional and delighted to have her husband back.”

David flew more than 10,000 miles from Melbourne to join the search for his father just weeks after moving to Australia with his new bride.

He wed wife Debbie in Dollar, Clackmannanshire, on June 16. He told his family on the day his dad disappeared that he had landed a new job in marketing.

David said: “The past nine days have been a nightmare for all of us but it has all ended well and that is the main thing.

“I can’t thank the mountain rescue team and police enough for their help.

“The support we have had from friends, relatives and members of the public has been amazing.

“Now were concentrating on looking after my dad and getting him back to his old self.

“We have a lot of things to sort out but he knows he has his family around him to support him.

“We’re just glad to have him back safe. I have to admit it wasn’t looking too good for dad, but we put in the graft, got the results and made a lot of people very happy.”

Noreen said: “I just want to thank everyone for their fantastic support. They have all been so wonderful."