THE body of a Scottish teenager has been found in the sea off a popular tourist resort after she got into difficulty while swimming.

Hollie McClymont, 14, from Glasgow, vanished off Barry Island in south Wales, where she was on holiday with her mother, on Sunday afternoon.

Police confirmed her family's worst fears when they said that a body found yesterday was Hollie's. It was discovered three miles along the coast near the small village of Fontygary.

It is thought she may have been pulled by strong currents out of the island's Whitmore Bay.

Her headteacher Andrew McSorley, of St Thomas Aquinas School in Jordanhill, Glasgow, described the news as a "terrible shock",adding: "She was due to start fourth year in August and everyone at the school who knew her will be shocked and saddened by this awful news.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family as they deal with their devastating loss."

More than 40 specialist officers were deployed in the search for the teenager, as well as a helicopter and Coastguards.

Steffan Wiliam, a Barry resident and Plaid Cymru councillor for the area, said: "This is awful, awful news, the nightmare scenario we have all been worrying about.

"Our thoughts go out to the family at this time. The pain and grief they must be feeling now is terrible."

Chief Inspector Marc Lamerton said: "We can confirm that a body recovered from the sea near Fontygary in the Vale of Glamorgan has been formally identified as that of 14-year-old Hollie McClymont. The body was discovered by a police search team this afternoon.

"Our thoughts are with Hollie's family at this difficult time."

Hollie had gone to South Wales with her mother, Sarah.

Barry Island is hugely popular with holidaymakers because of its pleasure park. Relatives of Hollie's family live hearby.

She was last seen getting into difficulty at around 2.45pm on Sunday.

Once the alarm was raised a search and rescue operation involved Coastguard and RNLI crews began. A helicopter was also deployed.

However, 24 hours later the rescuers had exhausted their efforts to find Hollie and formally handed the search over to police.

Currents outside the relative protection of Whitmore Bay can carry an object up or down the coast and eventually out to sea.

Mr William added: "It seems that she will have been outside the bay and the currents will have just carried her away.

"As soon as you are outside the bay, you will be carried off in one direction or another. Inside the bay there is a circular current."

Scores of tributes have been paid via social network sites.

One site user wrote: "This is so sad. The summer should have been a happy time for her and her family. RIP."