Human remains found in burnt-out van in ‘picturesque’ area

Human remains have been found inside a burnt-out van in an East Ayrshire village, with police treating the death as unexplained.

On Monday at around 12.05pm, emergency services were called to reports of a vehicle on fire in a layby on a single-track road in Newmilns.

Formal identification of the body is yet to take place and inquiries into the full circumstances of the death are ongoing.

The area where the vehicle is found, on a single-track road between Priestland and Darvel in the Galston Moor area, is known locally as “Monk Belt” or “Mast Walk”.

Detective inspector Craig Gilmour, of Police Scotland, said: “At this stage of our investigation, it is unclear why the van was parked in this layby or how it came to be on fire. It is vital anyone with information comes forward.

“The area is very picturesque and popular with walkers and dog walkers, and it’s thought a number of vehicles will have passed by the scene at the time.

“We are appealing for anyone who was in the area around midday on Monday and may have seen a white van parked in a layby, or a van on fire, to please get in touch.

“I would also ask if you heard any loud noises, or any motorists with dashcam footage which could be of significance, to please get in touch”.

Anyone with information can contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 1615 of Monday June 24 2024.