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A BOY of five was found after suffering what one emergency services member described as a "sickening and violent death".

Police discovered the child at his home in Alva, Clackmannanshire,

A woman was being held last night as police launched a murder investigation.

Police described the victim has having a “significant injury” to his body. Paramedics declared him dead at the scene.

A police spokesman said the inquiry is still at an “early stage”.

Emergency services personnel who dealt with the incident are being offered counselling.

One member of staff said the boy suffered a “sickening and violent death”.

Yesterday, Chief Inspector Stephen Sneddon said: “On arrival, police officers found the child with a significant injury to his body and he was later pronounced dead at the scene by the Scottish Ambulance Service.

“Inquiries into the full circumstances surrounding this incident are ongoing and a woman is currently detained in connection with the investigation.

“We are not currently looking for anyone else and I want to reassure the local community that there is no risk to them.

“Police officers will be carrying out various inquiries in the area and I would ask the public to continue to give us the full support they have shown so far, to allow us to conclude these investigations as soon as possible and allow the area to return to normal.

“This is a quiet area and I would emphasise that this is a very unusual incident which poses no risk to others.”

Meanwhile, neighbours described the boy's mother – who hasn’t been named – as being “quiet”.

Victoria Thomson, who lived across the footpath, said: “She moved there a wee while ago, maybe last year.

“They definitely haven’t been there long.

“She lived there with her two children. The wee boy was five but that is all I know.

“I don’t think she had a partner. I don’t if she was from Scotland.

“She was a really, really quiet lady. She always had her curtains shut as well.

“The only time I saw her was when she went up to the school and back.”

Emergency services attended the end-terrace house in Carnaughton Place at about 8.50am yesterday.

Streets were cordoned off, and forensic officers were seen searching the grass outside the flat, apparently looking for the weapon involved.

Another neighbour, Susan Smith, said: “I walked past this morning and the forensics folk, in the white suits, were out scouring the grass in front of the place for something.”

Police Scotland said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.