Body found in shallow grave

The body was discovered in a wooded area at the back of a popular community centre used by locals in Fauldhouse on Saturday morning.

Mr McKendrick disappeared from the home he shared in Fauldhouse with his mother, Sandra French, and sister, Sandra-Mary, on Wednesday, December 11.

A post-mortem examination is expected to be held today where formal identification will take place.

It is not yet known how the man died but police sources said from the discovery the death had "looked to be violent".

Mr McKendrick’s family have been made aware of the discovery and are being kept up-to-date by family liaison officers.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders police confirmed a man’s body had been found at the weekend and added: "Following a search of dense wooded area at the back of Fauldhouse Community Centre on Saturday a body was found.

"A post mortem will be held later to positively identify the body and to

establish a cause of death. However, police are treating the death as suspicious."

Last week, detectives revealed they had stepped up the hunt for the young man, who had been a keen ferreter, after a bag of his clothing had been uncovered by police carrying out a fingertip search of the village.

Forensic tests are still being carried out on the clothes and police have refused to say whether they are those Mr McKendrick was wearing when he disappeared.

Police have also revealed they are still keen to trace a mystery man called "Andy" who was spotted with Mr McKendrick on the night he disappeared.

Police have carried out extensive door-to-door inquiries and also combed a disused quarry at Levenseat, which he was known to frequent.

Detectives revealed that Mr McKendrick was seen in the Fauldhouse area on the day he disappeared with a man known only as "Andy" and have appealed for this man or anyone who might know who he is to come forward.

A police spokesman said: "Information has come to police that Thomas was last seen with a man known as Andy from the Whitburn area. We appeal to this man or anyone who may know who he is to contact us. Alternatively anyone who may have seen anything suspicious over the last few weeks in Fauldhouse should contact police."

Investigators are convinced the answer to Mr McKendrick’s disappearance lies locally, the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, any link between the disappearance of Mr McKendrick and the 1995 murder of another West Lothian man, Robert Higgins, has been firmly ruled out by detectives.

Mr Higgins was found stabbed to death in Craig’s Quarry, Milrig Farm, near Kirkliston, in April of that year.

The 35-year-old was not seen by his family for two days before he died and his movements over the three days before he died have remained a mystery.