A PENSIONER who was dressed as a cowboy has vanished in Berlin.

John Thomas Hedley, 70, was wearing a stetson-style hat, brown suede jeans, a tan waistcoat and a silver sheriff's badge when he was last seen leaving a McDonald's restaurant in the German capital.

He was also wearing brown boots and a long-sleeved dark shirt.

Last night, police alerted Interpol in an attempt to find Mr Hedley, of Murton, County Durham.

He was collected from his hotel by tour operators Wallace Arnold last Friday morning and was dropped off, with other holidaymakers, in the city centre at 11am.

Mr Hedley, known to family and friends as "Tot", was due to rejoin the coach at the Bahnhof Zoo railway station at 2pm, but failed to appear.

He was last seen at 1.45pm leaving the burger bar, but a two-and-a-half hour search of the area drew a blank.

Sergeant Christine Purvis, of Seaham police, said it was out of character for the former miner to have disappeared.

"He is something of a loner but looks forward each year to taking a holiday," she said.

"In the past, he has always returned safe and well and his disappearance is a complete mystery."

Last night, Mr Hedley's niece, Valerie Cammock, said: "We are just hoping that Interpol can find out what has happened to him."

Mr Hedley, who is single, arrived in Berlin last Saturday, and had been due to return home on Monday.

His luggage has been returned to his family.

Staff at the British Consulate are holding his passport.

Sgt Purvis appealed to anyone with information to call police on 0845 60 60 365.