A man has been charged in connection with the deaths of Renee MacRae and her son Andrew more than 40 years ago.

Police Scotland said a 77-year-old man was arrested in the north of England on Wednesday morning.

He is expected to appear at Inverness Sheriff Court.

MacRae, 36, was last seen driving out of Inverness with her three-year-old son on November 12, 1976.

The mother-of-two’s BMW was found burned out in a lay-by on the A9 near Dalmagarry, 12 miles south of the city, but the pair were not seen again.

Last month the excavation of Leanach Quarry, east of Inverness, was completed as part of a murder investigation, with more than 100,000 tonnes of earth, silt and other material removed since work started in May.

Andrew’s pram, believed to have been with the pair when they went missing, has never been recovered.

It is described as a Silver Cross Carnival collapsible model, with a chrome-plated frame and a blue canvas cover.

In June pushchair wheels were found during the search of the quarry. Bones have also been found at the quarry, although these are believed to be animal parts.

The quarry was previously deemed too dangerous for divers to enter, prompting the need for millions of litres of water to be pumped clear from the site.

In 2004, a cold case review resulted in a month-long excavation of Dalmagarry Quarry.

Last year MacRae’s sister Morag Govans said: “Andrew was a mischievous and fun-loving wee boy. It is impossible to take in that his life was brought so cruelly to an end at such a young age.

“He would have turned 45 in October, and I often wonder what he would have been doing now with the life that he was never given the chance to build.

“Renee was a compassionate and caring mother. Both Andrew and his elder brother Gordon were her life. She adored them and was so proud of her boys.

“Gordon was only eight and has lost the love and guidance of his mum and brother.”