Tributes paidto tragic boy,17

Tributes have been paid to a tragic teenager whose body was discovered in a car park near Motherwell Civic Centre at the weekend.

The body of 17-year-old Mark Ross was found shortly after 9.30am on Sunday.

He was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.

His next of kin have been informed.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “His death is being treated as unexplained.

“A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal in due course.”

Mark had recently left Our Lady’s High School in Motherwell and the school’s headteacher Dan Cardle paid a glowing tribute to him.

He said: “This is a terribly sad and tragic incident.

“Mark had only just finished his sixth year at the school and was heading on to university to study engineering.

“Our thoughts are with his parents, family and friends who are very much in our prayers.

“This is truly heartbreaking for everyone here at Our Lady’s and in the wider school community, particularly as Mark’s life has been cut short at such as young age and with so much ahead of him.

“Mark was extremely talented and bright, a successful footballer, with a wonderful personality that made him many dear and close friends here at the school, all of whom are devastated at hearing this news.

“He was very much loved, highly-regarded and respected.

“Sadly, this is made more difficult by the fact that we cannot be as close together as we are normally as a community at this time but support is available to pupils and staff.

“I would ask that everyone keeps Mark’s family and friends in their thoughts and prayers in these difficult weeks and months ahead.”

Motherwell West Conservative councillor Meghan Gallacher added: “This is terrible news and I can’t imagine how the family of the 17 year old must be feeling.

“Thoughts are with them and anyone who knew the person who died.”

Mark is survived by his parents, a brother and a sister.