Family renew emotional appeal for any information on missing mum

As the massive search for the Navan mother-of-two who has been missing for over a week continues, her distraught family have renewed their appeals for any information. The family of Margaret Mawhinney from Silverbrook, Trim Road, have also made a direct appeal to her to come home. 'Please come home. There is a warm welcome for you,' said her niece, April McHale. 'Everybody is so worried. Her poor husband, Richard, and children, Ruth (17) and Stephen (12), are out of their minds with worry. Everybody loves her,' said Ms McHale. Mrs Mawhinney has been missing from her home since Tuesday morning of last week and was last seen walking on the Trim Road, near Woodlands, at 10am that morning. A huge search has been underway for the past week with Meath River Rescue and the Garda Sub-Aqua Unit carrying out an extensive search of the Boyne. The Garda Air Support Unit, Meath Civil Defence and the Garda Dog Unit have also been involved in the search, as well as hundreds of volunteers. Volunteers have put up posters of Margaret and handed out leaflets in a bid to jog people"s memory and extensive seraches have taken place on land and property in Navan and over a wide surrounding area. Gardai in Navan mounted a checkpoint on the Trim Road in Navan yesterday (Tuesday) morning where they asked motorists and pedestrians for their help in trying to trace the last movements of Mrs Mawhinney, but no new information came to light as a result of this, a Garda spokesperson said. Ms McHale appealed to the public to search sheds in their gardens or any disused buildings in case she had sought shelter there. Margaret is described as 5"1', with short brown hair, blue eyes and she wears glasses. When last seen, she was wearing dark tracksuit pants, a kneelength black coat, walking shoes and had a dark scarf wrapped around her. She had no phone, money or handbag with her. Her niece said this week that it was unusual for her to walk down the town. Although she went for a walk every day, she usually went out towards Balreask Manor, rather than into town. She was last seen walking towards town on the right-hand side of the road, near the Woodlands estate. Ms McHale explained that her aunt was softly spoken, suffered from anxiety and wouldn"t usually interact with other people. 'We are hoping we can jog people"s memories. 'If they saw a woman who was upset, crying or confused. People might remember meeting a woman who seemed dazed or may have given a lift to somebody like that. Maybe someone saw her getting on a bus, although we don"t think she had any money with her.' Ms McHale said the entire family wanted to thank all of the people who had helped in any way since Margaret went missing. 'There has been a huge number of volunteers helping with posters and leaflets, we have had local volunteers, Meath River Rescue, the Gardai and Civil Defence searching for her. 'People have been streaming to the house with food every day and we want to say a sincere thanks to everybody who has shown us such kindness and consideration,' she added. Ms McHale appealed again for anyone who may remember anything at all to contact them and she urged householders and property owners to search their properties again. Anyone with any information on the missing woman is asked to contact Navan Garda Station on (046) 907 9930.