Police searching for missing student Karen Buckley have arrested a 21-year-old man in connection with her death after discovering human remains on a farm outside Glasgow.

Officers made the grisly discovery last night as they combed rural land on the outskirts of Milngavie, some nine miles from the Scottish city.

Although formal identification is yet to take place, a police spokesman said Miss Buckley's family had been informed.

Police hunting for Karen Buckley have found 'human remains' on a farm outside the city and arrested a man 'in connection with her death'

Police have taped off High Craigton Farm near Milngavie to the north of Glasgow after making the discovery

A number of plastic barrels were examined during the search, as well as a large metal container

Investigating: Two police stand near a sign for High Craigton Farm near Bearsden, outside Glasgow

Probe: A Police Scotland van was among the vehicles parked at High Craigton Farm near Bearsden last night

Yesterday, police investigating the nurse's disappearance said they were following a 'definite line of enquiry'.

Last night police moved their search from a park in Glasgow - where the nurse's handbag had been found - to a farm, graveyard and golf course near a rural road in the Stirlingshire countryside.

Police then cordoned off land to the north of Glasgow, near High Craigton farm and Windyhill Golf Club. The land lies near Bearsden, on a country road between Milngavie and Drymen.

One of the fire service vehicles was said to be an Environmental Protection Unit, which deals with incidents involving hazardous chemicals and environmental contamination.

Earlier this morning, a Police Scotland spokesman said: 'Police Scotland officers have recovered human remains on a farm in the north Glasgow, on the outskirts of Milngavie.

'Formal identification has yet to take place, however, police believe that they may be those of missing woman Karen Buckley. Relatives are aware. Enquiries are continuing.'

Miss Buckley's parents, who had flown over from Ireland to join the hunt, said yesterday that their daughter's disappearance was totally out of character and that they were 'desperate' for her safe return.

The probe had been stepped up amid 'grave concerns' for the 24-year-old's welfare.

Ms Buckley, originally from Cork, was last seen on CCTV leaving the city's Sanctuary nightclub with a man at 1am on Sunday.

Karen Buckley, 24, pictured (far left) with friends before going to a nightclub on the night she went missing

A spokesman for Police Scotland said last night that officers are now following 'a definite line of inquiry'

Police yesterday sealed off High Craigton Farm near Bearsden, outside Glasgow, in the search for Ms Buckley. Sniffer dogs, forensic teams and specialist divers were all involved in the search

Last night, there was intense activity at the farm when fire engines and major incident trucks moved in

This map shows the outbuildings in woods near to High Craigton Farm, between Glasgow and the Stirlingshire village of Drymen, where 'human remains' were found

He told police he thought she was fine and had arranged transport home, some four miles across the city. But she never arrived.

Yesterday, officers searched a park in the north-east of the city, Dawsholm Park.

Miss Buckley's black handbag - which she was carrying on the night of her disappearance - was later found there by a member of the public. Divers also searched the River Kelvin, which borders the area.

A police helicopter also circled between the villages of Milngavie and Drymen, where a grey car linked to the search was seen on Monday.

With the time since Miss Buckley went missing passing 70 hours, police stepped up the search yesterday

Yesterday, forensics teams searched around the flat where she was last seen, as concerns grew about her safety

Detective Superintendent Jim Kerr has said: 'Our absolute priority is to find Karen Buckley'

The student is said to have left a flat in the north-west of the city at 4am intending to walk home

Friends say Miss Buckley had left the nightclub in the early hours of Sunday morning without collecting her coat, telling them she was going to the toilet.

They have since said that Miss Buckley had been drinking but was not drunk.

CCTV cameras filmed her talking to a man outside the club before getting into a car and travelling to his flat in nearby Kelvindale.

Miss Buckley, who is brunette and 5ft 2in, was wearing a black jumpsuit and red heels when she was seen leaving the flat in Kelvindale at around 4am.

A team of police officers resume the search for Miss Buckley in Dawsholm Park in Glasgow yesterday morning

The family of Miss Buckley, who is from Cork in the Republic of Ireland, have flown to Scotland to help with the search for the Glasgow Caledonian University student.

Her mother Marion told a press conference in Glasgow: 'We just want Karen home safely, we are desperate. She is our only daughter, we love her dearly.

'If anybody has any information please come forward, we would dearly appreciate it.'

Her father John Buckley, 62, added: 'We are extremely concerned for her. We are desperate to get her back and safe with her family - she is our only daughter, we love her dearly and just want her to come home safe and sound.

'She always keeps in contact with her family and friends to let them know where she is and what she is up to.

'To not return to her flat or be in contact with her pals - not responding to texts and calls to her mobile is very, very worrying as it is so out of character.'

Two months ago Miss Buckley moved to Glasgow two months ago to study occupational therapy at the university. She previously worked as a nurse in Essex.

Police have found Miss Buckley's handbag, believed to be that circled (left), in a park where the search continued yesterday (right)

As well as a thorough search of Dawsholm Park, officers were seen scouring the gardens near a flat

They taped off a large pile of rubbish around the back of the building and sifted through the bins and waste

Detective Superintendent Jim Kerr, from Police Scotland's major investigations teams, said yesterday: 'We've traced the man she was with in Dorchester Avenue. He believes he was intimate with her at his flat consensually in the early hours of Sunday.'

The police officer added: 'From what we can see, she does not appear to be under duress, there's no signs of a struggle or reluctance on her part to leave the club.'

Police are also keen to find out more about a grey car that was seen on the roads between Milngavie and Drymen north of Glasgow between 11am and 3pm on Monday.

Mr Kerr said: 'The activity of this grey car on the Monday is something that we're a wee bit concerned about. This car has been seen at various locations on these roads and I want to know why.'

Speaking of Miss Buckley, Mr Kerr added: 'We know she left the club with her handbag – which has been found - but left her coat behind and so far has not returned to pick it up.

'Why she left so suddenly without telling her friends we just don't know – it was very much out of character – she is usually very good at keeping in touch with pals.'

Miss Buckley's parents Marian and John have travelled to Glasgow from Cork to help in the search

He added: 'We are gravely concerned that Karen has come to some harm, whether that is down to foul play, criminality or she has taken unwell or had an accident is obviously still to be established.'

Meanwhile, in Ms Buckley's home in north Cork a special prayer service was arranged for local people to show support for the family.

The private Mass of Hope, as it was being described, was held last night at the Church of Saint Michael The Archangel, Mourneabbey, near the town of Mallow.

William Crean, Catholic Bishop of Cloyne, led the prayers and urged the people of Mourneabbey to pray for Ms Buckley's safe return and to pray for her parents, and her brothers Brendan, Kieran and Damian.

'I invite all people of goodwill to join with me in prayer for everyone who is involved in the search for Karen at this time,' he said.