A 77-year-old man with dementia and difficulty hearing has been reported missing near Porirua since yesterday evening

Graham Russell Smith is around 165 centimetres tall, of slight build, and was wearing a blue puffer jacket and brown corduroy pants.

He'd gone for a walk on Doctor Track on the Colonial Knob walkway about 6:30.

Workers in the industrial and commercial area are asked to check their yards, out buildings, sheds, and work sites - and nearby residents are also asked to check their properties.

Anyone who may have interacted with him should contact police.