A woman's body has been discovered during a search for a missing person in rural Deeside.

A major search and rescue operation was launched after the woman was reported missing in the Ballater area on Monday night.

A rescue helicopter was sent out over the area but the search had to be called off as the night fell.

A team of 44 people resumed their search at around 8am on Tuesday morning.

The body of a woman, in her 30s, was found at around 10.30am in the Glen Muick area of Ballater.

Searchers from Grampian Police and the Braemar, Aberdeen and RAF Leuchers mountain rescue teams were all involved in the search.

A helicopter and two search and rescue dogs were also involved in the operation.

Andrew Todd, coordinator for mountain rescue in Grampian, said: "At first light this morning we got everybody out to try and do a search as quickly as possible to cover as much of the area as possible.

"This morning there was incredibly heavy rain. It was very wet and windy, though it was not that cold.

"The guys are trained, they are experienced, they are motivated to go out and they are well-equipped for the task at hand.

"Sustaining that over a long period of time is incredibly difficult in those conditions. They were not out for terribly long this morning."

The woman is not believed to have been a hillwalker.

A Grampian Police spokesman said: "As is normal in the circumstances, a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal."