Police hunting for clues in Zoe Nelson murder hunt

POLICE investigating the murder of a teenager whose badly burned body was found in a Wishaw field have sealed off the area where her body was found.

Forensic officers are combing an area near Branchalfield Drive in the town where the remains of 17-year-old Zoe Nelson were discovered on Sunday afternoon.

The teenager, from Newmains, North Lanarkshire, was last seen leaving her home at 5pm on Saturday.

Her body was found less than a mile away from where she lived.

She is described as 5ft 6in and of heavy build with collar-length brown hair and was last seen wearing a grey tracksuit bottoms, a white long-sleeved T-shirt and black Nike trainers.

Police said they are treating her death as murder after a post-mortem examination yesterday.

Detective Superintendent Derek Robertson, of Strathclyde Police, said last night: "From our inquiries so far we know that Zoe left her home on Saturday evening around 5pm. However we do not know where she has been between then and when her body was found.

"We would obviously be very keen to find out where she was and who she was with between Saturday at 5pm and 4.20pm on Sunday.

"She is known to frequent the Newmains, Cambusnethan and Coltness area.

"She was a popular girl and well-known in the area. No family should have to go through this and we are determined to catch the person responsible for this horrific attack."