• Ellen Elizabeth Ruffle disappeared from her family home in Motherwell in 1969
  • She left behind a husband and two young children
  • Police insist search is 'standard procedure' but are using ground penetrating radar on the garden

By Ian Garland

PUBLISHED: 12:51 EST, 26 June 2012 | UPDATED: 12:51 EST, 26 June 2012

Police in Scotland are searching the home of a primary school teacher who went missing more than 40 years ago - fearing her body may be buried in the garden.

Ellen Elizabeth Ruffle was last seen in 1969 at her home in Annan Glade, Motherwell.

The 34-year-old primary school teacher, known to friends as Evelyn, was married with two children, then aged 4 and 18 months.

Fears: Ellen Ruffle, left,  went missing 43 years ago, aged 34. Police fear her remains are buried in the garden of her home in Motherwell, Scotland, right

Mrs Ruffle was working at Cathedral Primary School, Motherwell when she went missing.

Strathclyde Police said it was out of character for her to leave her family, but in more than four decades they have come no closer to solving the mystery of her disappearance.

Officers insist the search is standard procedure as part of a long term missing person inquiry.

But the use of ground penetrating radar indicates they fear Mrs Ruffle's body may be buried in the garden.

Officers begin scouring the garden. Police insist the search is standard procedure as part of a long term missing person inquiry

Officers begin scouring the garden. Police insist the search is standard procedure as part of a long term missing person inquiry

Police have brought in a ground penetrating radar to search for a grave in the garden of the Ruffle family home

Police have brought in a ground penetrating radar to search for a grave in the garden of the Ruffle family home

Superintendent Andy McKay from Strathclyde Police said: 'It is now over 40 years since she went missing and I urge anyone with information, no matter how small, to come forward and hopefully we can provide some resolution to her family.

'I have no doubt that someone has information which can help us to find out what happened to her.

'It was completely out of character for her to leave her two small children. It may be four decades since she was last seen, however my officers are no less determined to find out what happened to her.'