The family of a man who vanished from his home in Great Yarmouth have spoken of their anger after police announced they had called off the search for him.

Manuel Pereira, 62, has not been seen since leaving his property, on Nelson Road Central, in the early hours of August 19.

Police coordinated extensive searches of the town and surrounding area.

However, last week the force announced that it was scaling back its activities, saying "all lines of enquiry had been followed up".

The decision has been criticised by Mr Pereira's family, who are continuing their own searches.

The family have been creating posters which they have stuck around Great YarmouthThe family has been creating posters which they have stuck around Great Yarmouth (Image: Submitted)

His wife, Segunea, said: "The entire family is suffering because of this, we are thankful for the help from the police until now but angry they have given up."

READ MORE: 'We are worried sick': Family's heartfelt call for missing man to be found

She added: "We just wish they keep searching for him. It’s been now three weeks or more but we still have belief that we will find him so I will ask anyone that can help me find him.

“Without the police looking for him we are just alone. Without them it makes it very difficult for us to find him on our own. My sons and I are distraught."

Mr Pereira, who has early onset dementia, is a former biology teacher who taught for many years in Guinea-Bissau, before moving to Portugal and then Great Yarmouth, where he and his family have lived for more than a decade.

Manuel PereiraManuel Pereira (Image: Norfolk police)

He left his home - where he and his wife lived with their sons, one aged 17 and the other, Sanshaw, 22 - at around 4.15am on August 19.

Police have scoured CCTV from the town to trace his movements from there, but without success.

They have also used specially-trained officers and drones, while around 2,000 leaflets published in English and Portuguese have been handed out.

READ MORE: Officials block man's bid for a two-metre front fence (though he has one at the back)

Buildings, gardens and wasteland have been searched, and extensive house-to-house enquiries carried out, with the public urged to check outbuildings, sheds and greenhouses and review any doorbell and dashcam footage.Manuel Pereira lived on Nelson Road Central, Great YarmouthManuel Pereira lived on Nelson Road Central, Great Yarmouth (Image: James Bass)

Every reported sighting has been investigated, but none have been confirmed.

READ MORE: Norfolk town's historic gasholder set for multi-million-pound repairs

Announcing the scaling back of the search, Supt Craig Miller said: "I'm sorry to say there hasn't been any sign of him or any confirmed sighting.

“We have spoken to his family and explained that while local officers will continue to carry out regular patrols looking for Manuel, we can no longer actively resource a search operation."

The family have been creating posters which they have stuck around Great Yarmouth The family have been creating posters which they have stuck around Great Yarmouth (Image: Submitted)

The force are still appealing for information and could restart the investigation if they receive significant intelligence.

Mr Pereira is described as black, bald, of slim build, and about 5ft 11in (1.80m) tall, and was thought to be wearing a knee-length black padded coat over a blue Tommy Hilfiger coat, a red and white T-shirt, blue jeans, grey Adidas trainers, and possibly a black hat.

The family has also created a Facebook group to search for Mr Pereira: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564648030381