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Man charged over disappearance of girl found in Scottish Borders

A 53-year-old man has been charged in connection with the disappearance of an 11-year-old girl who was later found in the Scottish Borders, as police thanked the public for their “huge effort” in helping to find her.

The child was reported missing in Galashiels on Sunday but was found nearby at about 9.30pm on Monday.

A huge search was launched involving specialist divers, a police helicopter and mountain rescue team, and members of the public joined the emergency services in the effort, which went on until Monday night.

One of the last sightings of the girl was at the Galashiels transport interchange on Sunday evening.

The man was arrested on Tuesday and police confirmed he had been charged in the early hours of Wednesday. He is expected to appear at Selkirk sheriff court on Thursday.

Officers have set up a cordon at a property in the village of Gattonside.

Ch Supt Catriona Paton, Lothians and Scottish Borders commander, said: “I want to thank the public for their huge effort and assistance during this incident. The people of Galashiels really came together and supported each other, the emergency services and search teams.

“We believe this incident to be contained and inquiries into the circumstances are ongoing. There will be increased high-visibility patrols in the streets to provide reassurance and advice to the public, and anyone with concerns can speak to an officer at any time.”