Police have confirmed that the body discovered in an Aberdeenshire woods on Friday is that of missing teenager Liam Smith.
Officers said that a member of the public discovered the body at around 3pm.
The 16-year-old was reported missing from his home in Aberdeen on Sunday November 18 last year.
There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.
His mother Alix Smith said: “While we never gave up hope of finding Liam, we were realistic about the challenges facing us. Our hearts are broken.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been involved in the search for Liam including members of the public who took it upon themselves to help. Thank you also to everyone who has left messages of support which have provided us with comfort at extremely difficult times.
“At this most difficult time of all, we would ask for privacy as we try to come to terms with our enormous loss.”
