Latest news with #Longcroft
Sky News
10-06-2025
- Sky News
Police treating death of teenager missing for more than a month as unexplained
The death of a teenager who went missing more than a month ago is being treated as unexplained, police have said. Extensive inquiries are being carried out following the discovery of a body in the search for Cole Cooper, 19, Police Scotland said. The teenager was last seen by a school friend on 7 May in the village of Longcroft near Falkirk, in central Scotland, when he asked a school friend for a lift, which he was not given. He was reported missing by his family on 9 May. A body was found around 4.15pm on Friday last week in a wooded area in Banknock, Falkirk, after a major search. Formal identification is yet to take place, but Mr Cooper's family have been informed and police said dedicated officers continue to support them. Mr Cooper was last seen on CCTV on 4 May in Longcroft and officers revisited the scene on 8 June and spoke to more than 150 people. Police said establishing his movements between Sunday 4 May and Wednesday 7 May is a priority for officers. Chief Inspector Alex Hatrick said: "Cole Cooper's disappearance and the circumstances leading up to it remain unexplained. "We remain in regular contact with the family to ensure they are kept up to date with all aspects of the investigation. "We will continue to support them and provide them with updates as our inquiries progress. "Extensive inquiries are ongoing to piece together Cole's last movements and find answers for his loved ones." Officers are examining more than 2,000 hours of CCTV footage and are continuing door-to-door inquiries in Longcroft and Banknock. 'Shattered hearts' In a statement posted on the Missing Person Cole Cooper group on social media, his family said they were "completely broken". "With shattered hearts, we share the devastating news that our beloved Cole, who was missing, has been found - but not in the way we hoped or prayed for," they said. "Our worst fears have become reality, and we are now living a nightmare we can't wake up from." They added: "Cole, you were our world - and now our world will never be the same. "Your life was only just beginning. The world didn't get to know the light you carried, but we did - and we will carry it with us, always."
Daily Mail
06-06-2025
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Body found in hunt for missing 19-year-old who disappeared nearly a month ago after police scour 2,000 hours of CCTV and speak to 400 people
The body of a man has been found in a hunt for a missing 19-year-old who disappeared nearly a month ago after a house party. Police scoured 2,000 hours of CCTV and spoke to 400 people as part of the investigation and confirmed the discovery this evening. The corpse was sighted in a wooded area near Kilsyth Road in Scotland at around 4.15pm. A Police Scotland spokesman said: 'Formal identification has yet to take place however the family of missing man Cole Cooper, 19, has been informed. 'Enquiries remain ongoing to establish the full circumstances.' Cole Cooper was reported missing on May 9 prompting a major search operation involving helicopters, divers and financial investigators. He was last seen by his family on May 2 or 3 and was captured on CCTV at about 6am on May 4 in Longcroft, Falkirk, as he tried to access his father's house unsuccessfully. The final sighting of Mr Cooper was at 8.45pm on May 7, on the A803 at the intersection with Cumbernauld Road, Longcroft, when he asked a school friend for a lift - which was not given. Since then, almost 400 residents have been spoken to during door-to-door inquiries and more than 2,000 hours of CCTV seized, according to Police Scotland. The missing man is described as about 5ft 10ins, of medium build with brown short hair, and was last seen wearing a black puffer-style jacket with black jogging bottoms. His disappearance has been described as 'completely out of character' and Mr Cooper's family are said to be devastated. A portal has been set up for the public to share footage, images and possible lines of inquiry, with detectives saying they have received 'numerous' submissions. Officers previously reported the investigation was being treated as a missing person's inquiry rather than a criminal probe. On May 28, detectives said the examination of more than 1,000 hours of CCTV had taken place along with door-to-door inquiries at more than 220 homes. Around a week later, the hours of CCTV examined had increased to more than 2,000. Chief Inspector Alex Hatrick, the local area commander, said: 'Our priority remains tracing Cole and getting answers for his family on his whereabouts. 'We have a dedicated team, including specialist officers and national resources, following all lines of inquiry. 'Specialist search teams as well as the air support and dive and marine units have been searching Longcroft and the surrounding area. 'I would like to thank the public for the support they've shown for this investigation and all the information provided to police. It shows the community is as committed to finding Cole as we are.' In a heartfelt plea last week, Mr Cooper's mother Wendy Stewart begged her son to 'come home'. She said: 'I love and miss you so so so much. Where are you son? My heart is breaking I just want a big cuddle from you son.' The worried mother also posted a touching video of Mr Cooper singing into a microphone and dancing with her, with the caption 'Please help get my gorgeous, kind loving boy back to me'. Officers will be revisiting the locations where Mr Cooper was last spotted around the same time on June 8 and June 11 in an effort to trace anyone who may have seen him but has yet to speak to police. Mr Hatrick added: 'Officers will be revisiting the Glasgow Road and Cumbernauld Road areas around the same time as the last sightings to ensure we've spoken to as many people as possible who may have information which could help. 'I continue to urge anyone with information on Mr Cooper's movements or whereabouts to come forward. 'No matter how significant you believe that information is, it could prove vital.' Anyone who has information has been asked to contact 101 quoting incident number 828 of May 9.
Sky News
06-06-2025
- Sky News
Body found in wooded area in search for missing teenager Cole Cooper
A body has been found in the search for a teenager who went missing in early May. Cole Cooper, 19, was last seen by a school friend on Wednesday 7 May, in the village of Longcroft near Falkirk, in central Scotland. Mr Cooper was reported missing by his family on Friday 9 May. Police Scotland said a man's body had been discovered in a wooded area near Kilsyth Road in Banknock on Friday afternoon. The force added: "Formal identification has yet to take place however the family of missing man Cole Cooper, 19, has been informed. "Enquiries remain ongoing to establish the full circumstances."
BBC News
06-06-2025
- BBC News
Cole Cooper: Police to revisit teenager's 'last sighting' locations
Police investigating the disappearance of teenager Cole Cooper are to revisit the locations where he was last seen before he went missing four weeks Cooper, 19, from the village of Banknock, near Falkirk, was reported missing on Friday 9 May. Police say they have a confirmed witness sighting of him at about 20:45 on Wednesday 7 May in the nearby village of Longcroft. Prior to that he had been captured on CCTV at several locations in Longcroft in the early hours of Sunday 4 May after he had left a party in Denny. Police have spoken to almost 400 residents through door-to door inquiries and more than 2,000 hours of CCTV have been say that since a dedicated online information portal was set up, numerous potential sightings, possible lines of inquiry, footage and images have been submitted directly to the investigation team. Timeline of Cole's disappearance 3 May: Cole is on a night out with friends in Denny4 May: He leaves a party in Denny just before 05:00 in the morning. He was seen on CCTV approaching the door of his father's house in Mayfield Road, Longcroft, at 05:49 before leaving four minutes was then captured on CCTV at various other locations in Longcroft. The last footage of Cole was at around 06:00 on Cumbernauld Road.7 May: A witness told police they spoke to Cole at around 20:45 on the A803 Glasgow Road, at the Intersection with Cumbernauld Road, Longcroft.9 May: Cole is reported missing Specialist search teams Falkirk Area Commander, Ch Insp Alex Hatrick, said: "Our priority remains tracing Cole and getting answers for his family on his whereabouts."We have a dedicated team, including specialist officers and national resources, following all lines of inquiry."Specialist search teams as well as the air support and dive and marine units have been searching Longcroft and the surrounding area."I would like to thank the public for the support they've shown for this investigation and all the information provided to police. It shows the community is as committed to finding Cole as we are." Officers will return to the locations of the last sightings on Sunday 8 June and Wednesday 11 Insp Hatrick said: "Officers will be revisiting the Glasgow Road and Cumbernauld Road areas around the same time as the last sightings to ensure we've spoken to as many people as possible who may have information which could help."I continue to urge anyone with information on Cole's movements or whereabouts to come forward. No matter how significant you believe that information is, it could prove vital."Cole is described as being about 5ft 10ins, of medium build with short, brown hair. On 7 May he was seen wearing a black puffer-style jacket with black jogging who has information should contact police.
Sky News
02-06-2025
- General
- Sky News
Cole Cooper: Brother of teen missing for almost a month says life feels 'empty'
The heartbroken brother of a teenager who vanished almost a month ago has told Sky News of the "hell" his family are living through while the search goes on. Cole Cooper, 19, was last seen by an old school friend on Wednesday 7 May, in the village of Longcroft near Falkirk, in central Scotland. His brother, Connor Cooper, said life feels "empty" without his sibling. Speaking to Sky News Breakfast on Monday, Connor said: "We just feel lost not having him in our lives at the moment while he's been missing. "It's hell, if I'm being brutally honest, for all of us. "One minute you're fine, next minute... not even fine, if that makes sense? "But you're coping better than what you might have done the day before, and then the next minute you're just breaking down. "And I know that was me last night, I was just breaking down. It's really tough on us all. "We're just trying to take each day and each minute as it comes. It is hell though. I would never wish this on anyone." Cole was reported missing on Friday 9 May. He was earlier captured on CCTV in the Longcroft area at about 6am on Sunday 4 May, after leaving a house party in the area. Police Scotland said the last confirmed sighting was at 8.45pm on the A803 at its intersection with Cumbernauld Road, Longcroft, on Wednesday 7 May. Chief Inspector Alex Hatrick previously told Sky News there had been no evidence of criminality. More than 220 properties have been visited, and more than 1,000 hours of CCTV footage collected, as part of the force's efforts to find Cole. Specialist resources from across the country have been mobilised to help, including the police helicopter and drones from the air support unit, as well as officers from the dive and marine unit. Connor believes the work of Police Scotland will help push the investigation as the family continue to seek answers as to what has happened. He said: "For Cole, this is very abnormal. It's very much out of his character. He's never, ever done anything like this." Connor said even if his brother wanted some space or alone time, he would have told family or friends and "would never put his younger siblings through this". He added: "So, the fact that he's been missing for coming up to a month - he's not used his phone, no bank card has been used, anything like that - it's very much out of character. "And I genuinely believe Cole would never do anything like this." Speaking to Sky News last week, Cole's mum spoke of her fears that he may have been "picked up in a car". 1:52 Wendy Stewart told of her heartbreak, adding: "I have been wanting to wake up, and it's just been a big nightmare." Cole's family said the joinery apprentice recently started up his own fencing and decking business, which was thriving. Connor warmly described his brother as "funny, goofy, smart, but gullible a bit". He added: "My brother is one of the most loving, caring people you would ever come across. He always wears his heart on his sleeve. "For the people that he loves and cares about, he really wants them to do well in life." Connor urged all those with information - no matter how small - to contact the family or Police Scotland. Thanking all those who have offered support so far, he added: "At the end of the day, this is a 19-year-old boy. "He's got a family, he's got friends that love and care about him and we just want him home safe now.
