Missing teenager froze to death

THE BODY of 18-year-old Sally Greig was discovered in a field by police yesterday, four days after she disappeared at the end of a Christmas party.

The young dental assistant from Perth died from hypothermia and police said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding her death.

A young woman who was said to be scrupulous about phoning her parents, Ms Greig had gone to a party with colleagues and was seen leaving the Huntingtower Hotel on the outskirts of the town at about 11.30pm on Wednesday.

Her colleagues from the Cherrybank dental surgery thought she intended to take a taxi to a club in the city but she never arrived.

Several witnesses who saw her later contacted police to say they had been concerned for her welfare.

One woman driver stopped to ask her if she needed help at 12.30am on Christmas Eve but drove on when Ms Greig told her she was all right.

After a search involving tracker dogs, police, RAF mountain rescue teams and a search and rescue helicopter, her body was eventually found yesterday lunchtime. She was dressed only in a black trouser suit and shirt.

Ms Greig was formally identified by her parents yesterday afternoon. A police spokesman said: "This was a case of exposure and hypothermia, it's a terrible tragedy."

At a press conference yesterday in Perth, Detective Superintendent Ian Watson said: "We can confirm that a body was discovered at around midday in a field at Newbigging Farm, just outside Perth. An RAF helicopter was able to join the search because of a break in the weather and after an hour the crew spotted the body of a young female lying in a field.

"The body appeared to have been lying there for some time and the clothing was intact."

Det Supt Watson said a woman matching Ms Greig's description had been noticed walking alone along an unclassified road early on Christmas Eve by a local woman who was driving with her family. He said the driver had spoken to the young woman after becoming concerned she was alone at such a late hour.

A spokeswoman for Tayside Police said: "Information received overnight has suggested that Sally may have wandered off along an unclassified road near to the Huntingtower Hotel."

Earlier her parents, Brian and Barbara, had spoken of their growing concern for their daughter, who was said to be a popular teenager who enjoyed clubbing. Mr Greig said: "It's out of character for Sally to have done something like this, to have gone missing. She is a sensible level-headed girl."

Last night they were being comforted by relatives.