MURDER detectives were last night attempting to piece together the last movements of a teenager last seen on her way to work.

Paige Doherty, 15, is understood to have been making her way to a bus stop to travel to her job at a hairdressing salon when she vanished on Saturday morning.

The youngster, from Clydebank in West Dunbartonshire, left home in the town’s Whitecrook area and was reported missing after she failed to arrive at work 12 miles away in Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire.

Her last confirmed sighting was at a roll shop in Fleming Avenue, Clydebank, at around 8.20am, just five minutes after setting off.

Her body was found 1.6km away in a wooded area behind a footpath off Great Western Road on Monday afternoon.

Yesterday police confirmed the remains were those of the missing teenager and appealed for help to reconstruct her final movements.

Posting on Facebook, her mother Pamela Munro wrote: “We are absolutely devastated, as will many people who know her will be xxx.”

Detective Superintendent Duncan Sloan, of Police Scotland’s major investigations unit, said it was an “extremely harrowing time” for the youngster’s family and friends.

He did not reveal the nature of her injuries but said a post mortem examination will take place and he is “open to all motives” for the crime.

Sloan told reporters: “Paige was a young, friendly girl with plenty of friends and for her life to be taken away so brutally at such a young age is unfathomable to everyone.

“I am appealing to anyone who may have any information whatsoever about her movements from when she was last seen in the early hours of Saturday morning, to when her body was recovered at lunchtime on Monday.

“From speaking with family and friends, it is apparent that Paige was a well-liked, popular girl with many friends, who was keen to finish school and go on to work.

“She independently secured a work placement at a hairdressing shop in Kirkintilloch and would travel by bus into Glasgow city centre and then travel on another bus from Buchanan Bus Station out to Kirkintilloch. Someone may have seen her in this area at the time.

“I am also particularly interested in hearing from anyone who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously in the area where she was found off Great Western Road on Monday lunchtime.

“This is a particularly busy route with lots of cars and buses passing, walkers and joggers on the pavement. Perhaps someone saw a vehicle in the area or people acting out of character or acting unusually that could help us in the investigation.

“It is imperative that we find who is responsible for Paige’s murder.”

The schoolgirl, who was 4ft 8in and slim, with long dark hair, was wearing a dark jacket, jeans and white Nike trainers when she went missing.

Her mother reported her missing after she failed to show up at Street Image hairdressers and was not in touch all day.

Forensic officers continued to work at the site where her body was found yesterday.

A large area was cordoned off and a police tent remained in place.

Laura Mason, chief education officer at West Dunbartonshire Council, said: “Paige was a bright and popular pupil with a good sense of humour.

“Our thoughts are with Paige’s family and friends, and we are doing everything we can to support our young people at this sad time.”