A 12-year-old schoolgirl has died after being struck by a bus in North Ayrshire, leaving her family "devastated." Sophia Aitken was hit on Lauchlan Way in Kilwinning at around 1.10pm on November 3, while she was reportedly on her school lunchbreak.
Sophia was pronounced dead at the scene, and no other injuries were reported.
Family tribute
In a statement released through Police Scotland, Sophia's family said: "We are devastated at the loss of our darling daughter Sophia. She was a ray of sunshine, and was loved by everyone who knew her."
"A light has gone out, and it will never return. We are comforted by the messages from the community."
"We would like to ask for privacy to grieve at this difficult time."
Police appeal
Sergeant Stewart Taylor said police officers' thoughts are with Sophia's family and friends, as well as everyone affected by the collision.
He added: "We know there were a lot of people out in the area at the time of this crash, and I'd like to thank those witnesses who have come forward in support of our inquiries, along with those who assisted at the scene."
Lauchlan Way was closed while investigations were carried out and reopened at around 7.30pm on Tuesday. Police Scotland is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision and is appealing for anyone with information to come forward.
Sergeant Taylor said: "This incident will be felt by the local community and our investigation continues to establish what happened. If you have any relevant dashcam footage or information that has not already been provided to officers, please contact us as soon as possible."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 1484 of November 3, 2026.
