New site in search for murdered Moira Anderson

Moira Anderson was last seen by her family on 23 February 1957

Forensic experts searching for the remains of murdered schoolgirl Moira Anderson want to examine a new site in North Lanarkshire, the BBC understands.

The 11-year-old was last seen in 1957 on a bus driven by child abuser Alexander Gartshore. He died in 2006.

Prosecutors believe he murdered Moira, whose body has never been found.

Soil expert Professor Lorna Dawson was enlisted earlier this year to help find Moira. It is believed her team now want to search a site north of Coatbridge.

Professor Dawson, from the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen, is understood to have prepared a forensic report based on her initial investigations.

She is expected to meet senior prosecutors and police next week to discuss her findings.

It is believed part of the discussion will focus on a site, north of Coatbridge and west of the village of Glenmavis, where a farm worker reported an empty bus blocking a lane on the night Moira vanished.

Police believe child abuser Alexander Gartshore murdered Moira and disposed of her body

BBC Scotland understands that Professor Dawson's team want to carry out more detailed examination of the site, but have health and safety concerns because of old old mine workings in the area.

Moira Anderson was last seen on 23 February 1957.

After leaving her grandmother's house, she boarded a Baxter's bus that was driven by Gartshore.

Prosecutors said last year that they believed that he had murdered Moira and disposed of her body.