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THE family of a missing teenage girl were in anguish last night after a female’s body was found half a mile from where she was last seen.

Popular Paige Doherty, 15, disappeared on Saturday morning after leaving a sleepover at a friend’s home to go to collect her wages from a part-time job.

Paige’s mum Pamela and step-dad Andy were frantic with worry after receiving no contact by phone or via social media from the bubbly schoolgirl.

A Facebook page was quickly set up by friends and family of Paige in her home town of Clydebank and thousands of posters were produced appealing for information on her whereabouts.

Supporters also walked the streets of Clydebank as they desperately searched for clues over the weekend.

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But the situation took a sinister twist earlier when it was revealed that a body had been found near a bus stop where the schoolgirl was headed for on Saturday.

A police cordon was set up near some trees at the side of a golf store on the main A82 Great Western Road in Clydebank.

Forensic teams began setting up a tent as other officers erected metal barriers.

In response to media inquiries, Police Scotland later confirmed a body had been found but would not confirm its gender or divulge further information other than to describe the death as “unexplained”.

Police bosses had not issued any appeal for information on Paige’s whereabouts and last night they would not confirm any connection between her disappearance and the discovery of a body.

Finally, just before 7.30pm, police issued a statement which read: “Around 1245 hours on Monday 21 March 2016, police were called to a report of a female body discovered in a wooded area, behind a path off Great Western Road, in Clydebank.

“A post-mortem is due to take place to establish the exact cause of death but at this time police are treating the death as unexplained. Formal identification has yet to take place. Enquiries are continuing.

“The A82 remains closed between the Kilbowie Roundabout and the Drumry Roundabout. Local diversions are in place.”

No further information or guidance was given.

Earlier, Paige’s mum Pamela, 32, said: “This is my worst nightmare. If Paige or any of her friends can see this all we want is her to be here with us.

“We’re not angry and you’re not in any trouble. Everyone is worried about your safety and we just want you home.”

She added: “I saw her on Friday at about 10.15pm when she left to go to her friend’s and it was just a normal ‘See you later’ type chat.

“I don’t know what to say or do — I just hope she is safe.”

Paige, who is just 4ft 8ins, left pal Lauren Mills’s home in Angus Street just after 8am on Saturday morning after staying overnight.

Locals who met the schoolgirl confirmed that she was in good spirits and behaving normally.

Shopkeeper Ashy Ahmed, who runs the Fleming Foodstore on Fleming Avenue, said he saw her at 8.15 am, when she was buying a roll and sausage from the Delicious Deli next door shop.

He said: “I was doing my rolls, as I always do, so I know the time was quite accurate.

“Paige came walking past, right by the door and I waved at her and she put her hand up to wave back.

“She had been in the week before and bought a roll but on Saturday she went into Johnny’s next door to get one.

“I spoke to him later and he said she was cheery and bright, just the way she always is.

“She is a lovely girl and you would never get any bother from her.

“Everyone has been wondering what has happened and hoping that she is ok.”

Ashy said that Lauren had come into the shop on Sunday morning with posters and was doing her best to find her friend.

He said: “I put the posters in the shop window and she went off. She was upset, as you would expect. They hang around together and I would have them in the shop together quite often.”

Ashy said that news of a body being found had started to circulate on Monday afternoon. He said: “It wasn’t the news that anyone was wanting to hear but nothing was confirmed.”

Paige, whose 16th birthday is next month, had intended to catch a bus to get to Kirkintilloch, to pop into Street Image Hairdressers in Kirkintilloch, nine miles away.

On Saturday morning she was dressed in a white top, blue jeans, khaki jacket and white trainers with gold Nike logo. The alarm was raised when she failed to show up.

Paige’s Facebook page says she was a pupil at Turnbull High School in Bishopbriggs.

Her mum Pamela shared the Facebook page Help Find Paige yesterday. Almost 7,000 people had joined the group last night.

Lauren Mills posted a heart emoji yesterday afternoon, writing: “Just want Paige Doherty home.”

She wrote on Facebook on Sunday: “Anyone seen or heard from Paige Doherty we are all worried sick she was last seen leaving my house at quarter past 8 yesterday morning no one has heard or seen her we are all scared Paige Doherty please come home if you are seeing these posts everyone is worried your not in trouble everyone wants to know your safe please keep sharing all these posts to help find her.

“If anyone has saw her or heard of her mail me or her mum Pamela Munro.”

Paige’s Cousin Sean Mark Scroggie was also sharing the appeal for information on social media.

He said: “Please every one share this photo of my little cousin Paige Doherty she’s been missing for 2 days and every one is realy worried thanks.”

Friend Chanelle Donaghy wrote on Facebook: “So worrying to think that paige is still not home, this world is a scary place ..

“Very out of character for her to be gone this long .. Fingers crossed she is okay.”

In an Instagram post, Laura Dillon said: “We are now at 48 hours with no contact from Paige at all, police want as much information shared on social media as possible as someone might remember seeing Paige somewhere on her travels.

“Please can you look out for all posters make Paige’s picture familiar with yourself and take a few minutes to think if she could of passed you on Saturday morning travelling city bound.

“Any information helps the police who are doing everything they can just now to locate Paige. Everyone’s support / messages have been overwhelming to all the family, but we just need everyone now to keep sharing the posts.”

Pal Louise Shand shared her support for Paige’s mum, writing on Facebook: “Cant stop thinking about Pamela Munro I hope Paige Doherty is found safe & gets home to her family. Cant imagine what they are going through.”

Paige’s mum Pamela had made a desperate appeal for information about her daughter the night before.

She wrote: “Paige was last seen wearin this with a dark zara jacket over this jacket. she had these trainers on also. her route we know is she left her friends in angus street whitecrook clydebank walked her usual route thru wood quadrant lane n went to delicious delis on fleming avenue confirming she was just heading to work. the bus stop is a few mins wall from there n she hasnt been been since.

“I am.totally.sick with worry n just want my little girl home. shes not in trouble shes just gt to get home were shes safe and loved. please keep sharing.”

Pamela is thought to have been at her home in Clydebank with Paige’s two younger brothers and younger sister as she awaited news yesterday.

She was too distraught to speak to reporters. Plain-clothed police officers who were at the house said they could give out no information.

Staff at the hairdressers where Paige works, Street Image Hairdressing in Kirkintilloch, said they had received no updates yesterday.

It was thought there may have been a CCTV sighting of Paige on Sunday but Pamela confirmed on Facebook that it was a false alarm.

She added: “I have personally seen this CCTV and it isn’t Paige.”

Speaking on Monday morning, Sergeant Claire Taylor from Dumbarton Police Office, told a local newspaper: “Paige has gone missing before but for her not to be in touch with any of her friends, or to be active on social media, is very out of character.

“She is known to spend time in the Kirkintilloch area and I would ask anyone with information on her whereabouts to get in touch with officers at Dumbarton Police Office on 101.

“I would also appeal to Paige to make contact with someone to let us know she is safe, her family are extremely worried and just want to know that she is okay.”

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