Hope replaced by devastation in Edinburgh and Kirkcaldy

Two communities are trying to come to terms with the senseless loss of Mikaeel Kular.

Hundreds of people came together to help the police search, hopeful the three-year-old could still be found alive. But, just before midnight on Friday came the devastating news everyone feared.

In a lonely woodland spot at the rear of a Kirkcaldy bungalow, just yards from where Mikaeel had happily played with his siblings, a body had been found.

Yesterday at Mikaeel’s home on Ferry Gait Crescent in Edinburgh, unity and determination had been replaced with a sense of bewilderment.

Shazia Chaudhry, 32, wept as she brought her son Zohaib to lay flowers at the impromptu tribute.

She said: “I can’t imagine why anyone would do something like this. I was totally shocked when I heard this morning. It’s so upsetting.

“I used to see the kids out playing. I hadn’t seen Mikaeel since before Christmas. The first I knew he’d gone missing was when I saw police talking to locals.”

People left cuddly toys, flowers and messages expressing their grief. Some even stopped to light candles and say a prayer for the youngster whose life ended too soon.

Nicola Nisbet, 43, came along to the spot with her daughter Lilly, 5, and partner Wes Murdiff, 26, to lay flowers.

She said: “We found out first thing this morning. We’re devastated.”

Yodel worker Wes said he had delivered parcels to the Kulars’ home and always thought the children seemed bright and happy. He said: “I have delivered a lot of presents, things like scooters and wee toys to the house.

“The kids would always come rushing out to see what I’d brought. They all seemed very close.”

Jacqueline Thornton, 32, moved to the area in the last two weeks, but had hoped to take part in the search on Saturday morning. She didn’t realise Mikaeel’s search had been called off till she arrived at the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre.

She said: “I was coming along to help. Someone just told me what’s happened. It’s a horrible thing to happen to a child.”

Despite heavy rain, locals continued to leave tributes. Eileen Flanigan brought a candle which she lit in the toddler’s memory.

She said: “I had the candle in my window the whole time they were searching for him so it seemed fitting to bring it down here now.

“The number of people who looked for him and came out to help shows how much people cared about him. It’s a huge shock for the community. It’s just awful but at least Mikaeel’s in the arms of the angels now.”

Khalida Hussain, 30, also spoke of her distress upon finding out the news of the body found in Kirkcaldy.

She said: “I saw the wee boy a week before Christmas but I don’t know where he’s been since then. He was always with his brothers and sisters, they seemed very close. They were very happy.

“If you opened the car door they would all come running up to you. They kids tended to stick together, they didn’t really play with the other kids here. It’s such a shame. I haven’t been able to sleep I’ve been so upset.”

Jacqueline Robertson, 52, lives round the corner from the Kulars and laid a small teddy bear at the tribute site. She said: “I used to see the mum taking her kids to nursery. They always seemed quite happy.

“The kids were well dressed so I thought they were being taken care of. I’m devastated that something like this could happen.”

In Kirkcaldy too, the community was struggling to come to terms with the loss of the happy-go-lucky youngster.

Olga Park, a retired nurse who lives opposite the bungalow where the body was found, said Mikaeel’s mother had lived there with her sister when she had the boy, who is a twin.

The resident, who has lived in the area for 30 years, said she saw Ms Kular arrive at the home on either Tuesday or Wednesday morning.

She said: “I’m just absolutely shocked about what’s happened. The fact he’s just a three-year-old boy is just terrible. The poor wee thing.”

Last night the local community came together to remember Mikaeel in a memorial service at Muirhouse St Andrew’s Church in Edinburgh.