FORMER teachers of a York schoolgirl found dead on a beach near Edinburgh say she was a wonderful girl who will be sadly missed.

The body of Jasmine Macquaker, 14, was found on the shore at North Queensferry, near the Forth Rail Bridge and Forth Road Bridge, on Monday morning.

There are no suspicious circumstances, say police.

York Press:

She was a Year 10 pupil at Queen Margaret's School in Escrick, and had been reported missing after failing to return to the boarding school on Sunday night.

Queen Margaret's say they have been asked by Jasmine's family not to comment, but her former school, Cargilfield in Edinburgh, issued a statement on Wednesday.

York Press:

A school spokeswoman said: “All of us at Cargilfield School are deeply saddened by this tragic news and our thoughts are with Jasmine’s family and friends at this very difficult and sad time.

“We remember her as a wonderful girl who will be sadly missed.”

Jasmine, from the Stockbridge area of Edinburgh, was a pupil at Cargilfield before moving to York in 2014, after she was offered a scholarship in art.

She has been described as a talented artist, writer and athlete and won the National Schools Handwriting Competition in 2014.

She was also a member of the Inverleith Swimming Club for three years.

A club spokeswoman told the Edinburgh Evening News: “She was a lovely quiet girl, who worked very hard at training. She had good technique and was a very accomplished swimmer. She was with us for about three years but left in September 2014 to go down south to continue her studies.

“We are very sad to hear the news and our thoughts are with her family at this time.”

York Press:

It has been reported in the Scottish media that she had returned home to Edinburgh for the half-term break and had been due to return to Queen Margaret’s on Sunday.

She was last seen alive at Dalmeny station near the south side of the Firth of Forth at 8.30pm on Sunday, after getting off a train from Edinburgh Waverley.

Her body was found the following morning on the other side of the estuary, and was formally identified on Tuesday.

Jasmine is reported to have had two younger sisters and a younger brother.