Police have issued a fresh appeal on what would be a missing boy's 45th birthday.

Andrew MacRae was only three when he vanished with his mum, Christine 'Renee' MacRae, near Inverness on November 12, 1976.

The investigation into their mysterious disappearance has been ongoing since their burned out BMW car was later discovered in a lay-by off the A9.

Police have never made an arrest in connection with the incident and the pair's bodies have never been recovered.

Officers from Police Scotland's Major Investigations Team and Marine Investigation Unit carried out searches at Leanach Quarry, Culloden Moor, last week.

Now on October 9, which would have been Andrew's 45th birthday, police have issued a picture of a pram - similar to Andrew's - which has also never been recovered.

The pram is described as being a Silver Cross Carnival collapsible, with a chrome-plated frame and blue canvas cover.

Officers are keen for people to cast their minds back and think about whether they saw a pram such as this around the time of Renee and Andrew's disappearance or since.

Detective inspector Brian Geddes said: "At the heart of this case is a family who are quite rightly seeking closure.

"They have lost a young mother and her son who have not been seen for more than four decades.

"Andrew was just a young child when he disappeared with his mother and today would have turned 45-years-old.

"Investigations such as this do not end until we can offer answers to the family of Renee and Andrew and we maintain close ties with them.

"The passage of time is no barrier and we continue to urge anyone who can help us provide closure to the family to come forward."