Body found in search for missing teenager Cole Cooper

Cole Cooper, a teenage boy. He is wearing a white hoodie and has his hands placed under his chin in a v-shape as if he is framing his face. He is standing on a pavement next to what looks like a park with grass and trees behind him. Image source, Police Scotland
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Cole Cooper was last seen in Banknock on 7 May

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A body has been found in the search for teenager Cole Cooper who has been missing for four weeks.

Police said the body of a man was discovered in a wooded area near Kilsyth Road in Banknock, near Falkirk, at about 16:15.

Formal identification has yet to take place, however, the family of the missing 19-year-old, who is from the village, has been informed.

Police said inquiries were ongoing to establish the full circumstances.

Temporary airspace restrictions which ban drone flights have been put in place over the village, until 21:00 on Saturday.

Cole was reported missing on Friday 9 May.

Police say they have a confirmed witness sighting of him at about 20:45 on Wednesday 7 May in the nearby village of Longcroft.

Prior to that he had been captured on CCTV at several locations in Longcroft in the early hours of Sunday 4 May after he had left a party in Denny.

Cole Cooper, who is wearing a dark hoodie, looks at the camera while standing beside black kitchen cupboards. There are lights reflected in the cupboards.Image source, Police Scotland
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Specialist search teams have been looking for Cole

Police have spoken to almost 400 residents through door-to-door inquiries and more than 2,000 hours of CCTV have been seized.

Officers earlier said that numerous potential sightings, images and other possible lines of inquiry had been passed directly to the investigation team since a dedicated online information portal, external was set up.

Timeline of Cole's disappearance

3 May: Cole is on a night out with friends in Denny

4 May: He leaves a party in Denny just before 05:00 in the morning.

He was seen on CCTV approaching the door of his father's house in Mayfield Road, Longcroft, at 05:49 before leaving four minutes later.

He was then captured on CCTV at various other locations in Longcroft. The last footage of Cole was at around 06:00 on Cumbernauld Road.

7 May: A witness told police they spoke to Cole at around 20:45 on the A803 Glasgow Road, at the Intersection with Cumbernauld Road, Longcroft.

9 May: Cole is reported missing

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