A three month excavation of a Highland quarry looking for a mother and son who went missing more than 40 years ago is to end this week.
The detective heading the search said today he was "confident" that if the remains of Renee and Andrew MacRae - or any other key pieces of evidence - were disposed of in the quarry, "we will find them."
Mrs MacRae's bloodstained car was found on fire on the A9 south of Inverness in 1976. The married mother and Andrew, three, have never been found and no one has been charged in connection with their deaths.
Police Scotland believe that the mystery will be solved once they have sifted through the mud and silt of Leanach quarry at Culloden.
READ MORE: Renee MacRae - Bones found in Leanach Quarry
The force said today that the excavation phase of the operation is expected to be completed this week, although a "substantial amount" of material is still to be forensically searched for evidence.
Since work started at Leanach Quarry in May more than 100,000 tonnes of earth, silt and other material has been removed from the site, with 5,000 tonnes for forensic searching.
Approximately 55 vehicles - none linked to the enquiry - have also been uncovered during the excavation phase.
Detective Inspector Brian Geddes said: "The forensic search of the quarry has been a significant undertaking. We have almost completed the excavation process but there remains a vast quantity of material that still requires to be sifted and thoroughly searched.
"This is likely to take a number of weeks to complete but we are confident that if the remains of Renee and Andrew, or any other key pieces of evidence, were disposed of in the quarry, we will find them.
"The process of backfilling sections of the quarry where excavation has taken place has commenced and again this will continue over a matter of weeks.
"I would like to thank everyone that has been involved in the operation to date, and the surrounding community for their patience while this has been ongoing.
READ MORE: Police to drain Leanach Quarry in search for Renee MacRae
"We remain determined to bring this matter to a successful conclusion and we continue to progress all relevant lines of enquiry.
"I would urge anyone who we have yet to speak to, and who has information, to please come forward and contact us."
Mrs MacRae's bloodstained car was found on fire on the A9 south of Inverness
Parts of a pushchair similar to the one used by Mrs MacRae are thought to have been among the items recovered.
Anthropologists are checking material as it is pulled from the bottom of the quarry in huge shovels before lorries transfer the debris to a location off-site. There, a 16-strong team of specialist officers is carrying out a fingertip search through the mud.
An initial search of Dalmagarry, another quarry close to where the car was recovered was quickly abandoned, despite reports from an officer that he could smell decomposing flesh. A dig at Dalmagarry lasting a month and costing more than £100,000 was carried out after a cold case review in 2004 but no human remains were found.
READ MORE: A timeline of events
Ms MacRae, 36, left her home in Inverness with Andrew on November 12, 1976, heading south. Estranged from her husband, Gordon, she was driving to Perth to meet her married lover, Bill McDowell, who was Mr MacRae's accountant and Andrew's father.
Police re-examined the case in 2004 and named a suspect in a report to the procurator fiscal in 2006. However, the Crown Office said there was insufficient evidence to bring a prosecution.
Mr McDowell, who now lives in Cumbria, was questioned by police but strongly denied having any involvement, a position he has maintained for decades.
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