Police have appealed for help investigating the unexplained death of a six-year-old girl whose body was found in woodland on the Isle of Bute.
Detectives confirmed the body of Alesha MacPhail had been found on Monday morning near her home in Rothesay, on the Isle of Bute in the Clyde, around two and a half hours after she was reported missing.
She was found at 9am in the grounds of a derelict hotel on Ardbeg Road by a member of the public after a large-scale search had been launched. She had been reported missing at 6.25am.
Police Scotland said formal identification of her body had yet to take place but urged any passersby and visitors to the island, a popular holiday destination, to get in touch with the inquiry team.
Det Supt Stuart Houston, from the force’s major investigations team, said: “This death of a six-year-old child has shocked the tight-knit community of Rothesay and it is imperative that we find out what has happened.
“We know that once the alarm was raised about her being missing, there were a number of local people who assisted with the search. I would like to speak to anyone who was involved in that search who have not yet been spoken to by the police.
“This is to ensure that everyone that was in the vicinity of Ardbeg Road at the time is traced as they may have critical information which could assist with the investigation.”
High Road in Ardbeg, a small village north of Rothesay, was closed by a police cordon and well-wishers had begun laying a floral tribute near police accident signs. A police car blocked the road while several other police vehicles could be seen nearby.
A separate cordon has been set up outside numbers 50-53 Ardbeg Road and police tape has also been set up at the seafront on the opposite side of the street.
Police said they would be carrying out door-to-door inquiries and trying to question holidaymakers, to piece together as much information as they could.
“I must reiterate that this death is still being treated as unexplained at this time,” Houston said. “However, I would like to reassure the public that this type of incident is rare.
“I understand that there are real concerns in the community; however, please be assured that a team of detectives are working on this investigation to ascertain the circumstances leading up to death of this young child. Specially trained officers are supporting the family during this incredibly difficult time.
“If anyone has any information please contact police with that information. You might think it is insignificant – however, please let us be the judge of that, and contact us immediately.”
Image copyright Facebook Image caption Alesha MacPhail was reported missing on Monday morning
The body of a missing schoolgirl has been found on the Isle of Bute.
A member of the public discovered a child's body in woodland at about 09:00 on Monday and police believe it is six-year-old Alesha MacPhail who was reported missing two-and-a-half hours earlier.
An investigation has begun and detectives are treating the death as unexplained.
The body was discovered in the grounds of a former hotel on Ardbeg Road.
Image caption Police guard a cordon at the house where Alesha was believed to have been staying
Det Supt Stuart Houston from Police Scotland's major investigation teams said: "This death of a six-year-old child has shocked the tight-knit community of Rothesay and it is imperative that we find out what has happened.
"This investigation is at its very early stages however I am appealing for information in order to piece together Alesha's last known movements.
"We know that once the alarm was raised about her being missing, there were a number of local people who assisted with the search.
"I would like to speak to anyone who was involved in that search who has not yet been spoken to by the police. This is to ensure that everyone that was in the vicinity of Ardbeg Road at the time is traced as they may have critical information which could assist with the investigation."
Image caption Houses have been sealed off in Ardbeg
He also wanted to reassure the people of Rothesay: "I must reiterate that this death is still being treated as unexplained at this time, however, I would like to reassure the public that this type of incident is rare," he said.
"I understand that there are real concerns in the community, however, please be assured that a team of detectives are working on this investigation to ascertain the circumstances leading up to death of this young child. Specially trained officers are supporting the family during this incredibly difficult time.
"If anyone has any information please contact police with that information. You might think it is insignificant, however, please let us be the judge of that, and contact us immediately."
Image caption The schoolgirl was staying in a house in Ardbeg Road before she disappeared
John Morrison, a local property developer, was shocked at the news.
He told the BBC: "When I came out here about three hours ago, first I saw the police barriers about 500 yards back on the road.
"When I went down into my site I got a phone call from my partner telling me a wee girl had been missing and she had been found dead. It was a horrible shock.
"Then just after that more police started to come, men in the white suits, and a van full of police who I take it had been searching earlier.
"The rumour was she had been found in the Kyles Hydro Estate which is over at the back."
Image caption The police presence increased after the body was found
Mr Morrison said the community had been affected by what happened: "Terrible, terrible. We are going to know the family or someone connected with them," he said. "It brings it right home, it is such a shock. I feel so sorry for the family at this moment in time."
Well-wishers have started to leave flowers near the police cordon.
The police spokeswoman said: "At around 06:25, police were informed a six-year-old girl was missing.
"A search was undertaken to try and locate the child.
"At around 09:00 the body of a young female child was discovered in the grounds of an old hotel.
"An investigation has been launched and inquiries are ongoing to establish the exact circumstances of the incident."
Police searching for a missing girl, 6, on the Isle of Bute have launched an investigation after finding a body in woodland.
The child, from Rothesay on the Scottish island, was reported missing at 6.25am on Monday.
Less than three hours later, officers found the body of a young girl on the site of a former hotel near Ardbeg Road.
"At around 6.25 this morning, police were informed a six-year-old girl was missing in Rothesay," a spokeswoman for Police Scotland said.
"A search was undertaken to try and locate the child.
"At around 9am the body of a young female child was discovered in the grounds of an old hotel, Cames Hydro Hotel.
"An investigation has been launched and enquiries are ongoing to establish the exact circumstances of the incident."
A body has been discovered in the search for a missing six-year-old girl.
Police were alerted to the girl's disappearance from her home in Rothesay on the Isle of Bute in Scotland early on Monday morning.
After launching a search operation, police discovered a body on the grounds of an old hotel less than three hours later.
A police spokesperson said in a statement: "Around 6.25am this morning police were informed a six year old girl was missing in Rothesay.
"A search was undertaken to try and locate her. Around 9am this morning, the body of a young female child was discovered in woodland in Ardbeg Road.
"An investigation has been launched and enquiries are ongoing to establish the exact circumstances of the incident."
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Police would not confirm the identity of the girl or comment on how she died.
Local property developer John Morrison told BBC News that the small size of the island meant the news would greatly impact the community.
He said: "We are going to know the family or someone connected with them.
"It brings it right home, it is such a shock. I feel so sorry for the family at this moment in time."
The Isle of Bute, which has a population of around 6,000, lies off Scotland's west coast and is only accessible by boat.
The island became known in 2015 for accepting the UK's first refugees fleeing the Syrian War, taking in and homing 15 families.
