Gardaí are continuing in their efforts to locate a Kerry farmer who has now been missing for almost a week.

Michael Gaine, who is also known as Mike, was last seen in Kenmare town on Thursday morning (March 20).

An image from a CCTV camera, released by gardaí, showed the sheep and suckler farmer after he had bought phone credit in the local Centra shortly before 10:00a.m.

However, the 56-year-old has not been seen since that morning and his family and An Garda Síochána remain "extremely concerned" for his well-being.

Michael Gaine's farm extends to over 1,000ac near Molls Gap on the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks.

Gardaí investigating the farmer's disappearance, which is said to be very much out of character, are maintaining a presence at the farm.

Over the weekend, an intensive multi-agency search operation, which included the Irish Coast Guard, was conducted in an area of mountainous terrain near Kenmare.

Volunteers from Kerry Mountain Rescue Team (KMRT) and the Kerry Civil Defence were joined by around 200 local people who offered to help in the search.

On Monday, gardaí said that they would not be seeking any volunteers to assist in land searches until further notice.

Agriland understands that slurry tanks at the farm yard were drained in recent days.

Members of the Garda Water Unit are also understood to have joined the search today.

Michael is described as being approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall with a stocky build, brown/grey hair and a bushy beard.

When last seen, Michael was wearing an orange woolly hat, black fleece, blue jeans and black boots.

Anyone with information on Michael’s whereabouts is asked to contact Killarney Garda Station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any garda station.

Kerry County Councillor Dan McCarthy, who is also the manager of Kenmare Mart, told Agriland that the mood in the local community is “very sombre and worrying”.

“Everyone is getting worried now for his welfare and our thoughts are with his wife, his sisters and extended family,” he said.