Search ended after child's body discovered in river at Balloch

9 August 2020, 22:23

Emergency services were alerted at 6.46pm and remain near the River Leven in Balloch. Picture: Twitter

By Matt Drake

A search for a missing child in the water in the west of Scotland has ended with police finding the 12-year-old girl's body.

Police Scotland said in a statement its officers were called to a report of the girl being in difficulty in the River Leven, near Balloch Bridge, about 6.45pm on Sunday.

Police said: "Emergency services attended and searches were carried out. Around 9.45pm, the young girl was recovered from the water. Sadly she was pronounced dead at the scene."

Earlier, West Dumbartonshire Police, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency all confirmed they were involved in the search and asked the public to avoid the area.

The child's family have been informed of her death and enquiries are ongoing, but police are not treating the death as suspicious. A full report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.