Floods: Search continues as missing woman's dead dog found

Hazel Nairn disappeared last Friday

Police searching for a woman feared swept away in the floods in Aberdeenshire have said the body of her dog has been found.

Hazel Nairn, 71, was last seen in the water in the River Don, near Monymusk, last Friday afternoon when an amber weather warning was in force.

A Police Scotland spokesman said her dog was found dead near the river on Wednesday.

A specialist dive team are involved in the searches for Mrs Nairn.

At First Minister's Questions, Nicola Sturgeon said her thoughts were with the family and friends of the missing woman.

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Insp Andrew Meikleham said: "Searches are being carried out from the area where Hazel was last seen downstream towards Aberdeen.

"Due to the deteriorating weather that afternoon, Hazel had been trying to get home safely from the village of Monymusk along with her dog."

A candlelight vigil was held at Monymusk Parish Church on Sunday evening.

The River Don burst its banks

The amber weather warning lasted for much of Friday, with severe rainfall bringing flooding to parts of north east Scotland.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa), said the event was similar in magnitude to 2016's Storm Frank, with record high river flows which are now receding.