A teenager has been arrested in connection with the alleged murder of a six-year-old girl.

Alesha MacPhail was reported missing on Monday morning while staying with her father and grandparents in Rothesay on the Isle of Bute.

Her body was found later that day in woodland by a member of the public.

Shortly before 8pm on Wednesday, police confirmed a teenager under the age of 18 had been arrested over Alesha’s death.

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Detective superintendent Stuart Houston, senior investigating officer, said: “The response to our earlier public appeals has been significant.

“However, despite this evening’s major development, I am still appealing for anyone who was in the Ardbeg Road area of Bute on Sunday night or in the early hours of Monday and who may have information about Alesha’s death to contact us.

“Anyone who has CCTV at their home or business, or indeed any motorists with dashcam footage which might help with our investigation are also urged to get in touch.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Police Scotland incident room on 101 quoting reference 0695.

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Floral tributes have been left on the island in the wake of Alesha’s death, with her school describing the primary two pupil as “smiley” and “considerate”.

Alesha’s mother Georgina Lochrane travelled from her home in North Lanarkshire to the island on Tuesday.

Rev Owain Jones said people had been “stunned” by the death and murder investigation.

He has opened his United Church of Bute in Rothesay to allow people to visit at any time.

He said: “We’re all absolutely staggered, we have no words for this and it’s beyond any power of words to express.

“We’re all just really sitting in a kind of shared stunned silence just trying to uphold each other.

“Bute is one of these places that is incredibly safe, you take all sorts of things for granted here and don’t panic if you forget to lock the house or whatever.”