Body found by police searching for Kieran McCann on St Andrews beach

Police looking for missing Kieran McCann have found the body of a man on the beach.

They have not confirmed whether the body is that of the missing fresher.

A police spokesman said: “Police in Fife can confirm that the body of a man has been found on the beach at St Andrews this afternoon. Enquiries are continuing to establish the circumstances.”

Kieran, an International Relations and Economics student, was last seen at the Vic around 1:30am on Tuesday night. His friends filed a missing persons report when he had not been seen for 24 hours.

The police were contacted on Wednesday evening when the 18-year-old didn’t return from his night out. A close friend of Kieran’s, Piers Moss, said: “I was in touch with his parents who live in the states who let me know that they had been trying to get hold of the police.”

Police have not confirmed the body belongs to Kieran McCann

Students organised their own search parties due to start this evening but the police called them off this afternoon. In the Find Kieran Facebook event Paul Grindlay posted: “The police weren’t happy with us conducting our own search as these have gone wrong in the past but we’re not giving in.

“This page will stay active until Kieran is found so I’ll keep you updated on any news and may call upon you in the future for another search with Police Search Managers involved too.”

More to follow.