A body was found yesterday on a beach in Argyll.
Police said the remains have yet to be formally identified and that no family members of missing persons have been contacted at this stage.
A member of the public alerted police to the discovery on the shore at Ardmucknish Bay, by Benderloch, at about 12.20pm.
It comes just weeks after Oban woman Chrystalla Dean was reported missing, sparking a major search operation in and around the town.
Last night a police spokesman confirmed the discovery, adding: “A body was found on the shore at Ardmucknish Bay, Benderloch.
“Police inquiries are at an early stage to establish the identity of the person and a postmortem will be carried out in order to establish the cause of death and a report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.”
Ms Dean was last seen by her daughter on December 15 at her home in Longdale Crescent.
The following day Ms Dean’s daughter returned and when her mother failed to come home that evening she called police and reported her missing.
It is thought the 51-year-old may have taken her dog Ripple for a walk in a wooded area known locally as The Witches – but the pet came home without her.
The dog was brought in to help search for Ms Dean and, according to a source at the time, was frantically searching steep woodland at the back of Dunollie, but found no sign.
The search involved specialist police officers and local mountain rescue personnel. Police dive teams and coastguard ground teams were also deployed and a rescue helicopter covered the area from the air.
The Oban lifeboat was also launched and carried out coastline searches between Oban and Dunstaffnage, as well as the island of Kerrera.
Police also carried out a high profile “stop and speak” in Oban this morning to try and jog the memory of any dog walkers who may have seen Ms Dean at the time.