By Dave Lord

THE SEARCH for 87-year-old Perthshire woman Dolina Maclean took a tragic turn yesterday as detectives announced they had discovered a grave.

The grim find was made in remote Knowehead woodland, around four miles from the village of Dunning.

Although no body has yet been removed from the site, distraught relatives of the frail pensioner have been warned to prepare for the worst.

Around 40 experts—including scenes of crime officers, pathologists and forensic teams—were last night continuing their meticulous examination of the area.

The Courier understands police are working on the basis that a body may have lain at a site at Moneydie for some time before being moved to Dunning Glen.

Ms Maclean, from Stanley, has not been seen for more than two weeks.

Earlier this week police cordoned off two sites in rural Perthshire and yesterday confirmed that an area at Dunning Glen had been “disturbed” and appeared to be a recently-dug grave.

Specialist officers are also continuing to meticulously search the second site at Moneydie, around five miles from Ms Maclean’s home.

Detective Chief Inspector Bruce Kerr described the discovery of a grave as “highly significant.”

He told The Courier, “Preliminary examinations of the scene have revealed an area of ground that has been disturbed and all indications are that it is a grave site.

“Clearly this is a significant development and we are keeping relatives of missing person Dolina Maclean fully aware of our investigations.”

Mr Kerr stressed that examination of the site would be painstaking and could take a considerable time.

“Having discovered the site, we have now begun the process of recovering evidence at the grave and the surrounding area,” he continued.

“This will take some time.

“If and when a body is recovered it will be removed safely and taken to the mortuary in Dundee, where further forensic and post mortem examination will be undertaken.

“This too will take time to complete.”

The DCI insisted there was still much work to be done before the case could reach any kind of a conclusion.

“There are elements of this investigation which are the subject of court proceedings, so I am not in a position to offer speculation or comment about the full set of circumstances surrounding this inquiry,” Mr Kerr added.

“Equally, there is a still a significant amount of work to be carried out until the full circumstances are established.”

Uniformed officers and detectives at the site have been joined by scenes of crime officers, search-trained police teams and experts from the National Policing Improvement Agency.

Experts in pathology, archaeology and forensic biology from Dundee University have also been called in along with the police’s own forensic pathologist.

Mr Kerr revealed fresh details regarding Ms Maclean’s life.

“Ms Maclean was a spinster who trained as a nurse at Bridge of Earn and then did nursing at Murray Royal in Perth,” he said. “She was a very private person who loved her garden.

Mr Kerr added, “She was a creature of habit and was known as such in the village of Stanley.”

He revealed that Ms Maclean’s sister, who is a patient at Murray Royal, had reported the pensioner missing.

“The missing woman’s sister, who is in her 90s, had been trying to get in touch with her but had not managed,” Mr Kerr said.

“She raised concerns with staff at the hospital who then contacted police.”

Mr Kerr and his team were yesterday searching ground around the suspected grave in a bid to find any evidence of a body being “dragged or carried” along the ground.

“Soil samples from the grave itself will also be analysed—the force is well equipped to deal with this kind of inquiry,” he added.

Detectives are still trying to piece together Ms Maclean’s movements since the last confirmed sighting of her at her home in Duchess Street on the morning of Friday, May 30.

She was seen later the same morning at Tesco Extra on Crieff Road, Perth.

Police want to hear from anyone who saw Ms Maclean or her dark green Vauxhall Astra—registration SP52 NYM—in Perthshire between Thursday, May 29, and Saturday, June 14, to call 0845 600 5705 immediately.

Ms Maclean is described as being five feet five inches tall, with long fair hair and blue/grey eyes.

When last seen at her home she was wearing a three-quarter length black or dark blue coat.

It is also believed she would have been wearing a blue jumper and black trousers.

Following inquiries over the weekend into Ms Maclean’s disappearance, a 48-year-old man from Perthshire was arrested and charged.

John Lawrie Lawson appeared on petition in private at Perth Sheriff Court on Monday charged with the theft of a motor vehicle.

He made no plea or declaration.

He was committed for further examination and remanded in custody.

Ms Maclean has been described by neighbours in Stanley as a “quiet old soul who kept herself to herself.”

Known as Dolly by her friends, the frail pensioner suffers from arthritis and her mobility problems mean she requires a walking stick or frame to get about.

Police stood guard at the detached house she shares with her elderly sister.