Mary Duncan: Police end new search for teen missing since 1976

Police investigating the disappearance of a teenager 44 years ago say new ground searches have ended with "no positive result".

Mary Duncan was 17 when she disappeared from her home in Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire, in 1976.

Despite an extensive investigation at the time, no trace of the young mother has ever been found.

The latest searches involved two sites at Alexandria's Vale of Leven Hospital and a residential area in Helensburgh.

Excavations in the hospital grounds started in August and in Helensburgh in September. The work was completed on 4 December.

Det Supt Calum Young said: "I can confirm that planned ground searches have now concluded, no further trace or information about Mary's whereabouts has been found and the Duncan family have been fully updated.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the staff and management at the Vale of Leven Hospital for their support during search activity within the hospital, and also thank the public and media for helping to ensure that any disruption was kept to a minimum."

Det Supt Young said inquiries into Mary's disappearance continued.

Mary disappeared from her home in Bonhill after telling her family she was going to meet a friend on 19 March 1976.

She had become pregnant at 15 and gave birth to a girl, Laura, on 17 February 1975. She did not take her daughter with her when she disappeared and the baby died of natural causes on 25 October 1976.

Mary's three sisters have previously appealed for information to help find out what happened to her.

Their stepfather, Norman Duncan, was jailed for five years for historical sexual offences against girls, and had been spoken to as one of a number of lines of inquiry.