Published: Monday, 4th May, 2009 12:30pm

Troubled teen is found dead in woodland

THE body of a teenager from Innerleithen was found on Tuesday following a full-scale search.

Paul Laurie had been reported missing by worried friends and family the previous evening.

Members of Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue team joined local police in the hunt for the 17-year-old.

But his body was discovered in woodland at Haugh Head just after 1.30pm.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police told the Peeblesshire News: 'Following concern for the welfare of a local youth, a search took place and the body of a 17-year-old man was found.

'At this time there are no suspicious circumstances and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.'

Police were called to Mr Laurie"s Horsburgh Street flat just after 8pm on Monday after concerns were raised about his welfare.

Officers didn"t find the teenager but discovered a strong smell of gas around the property.

One neighbour was evacuated while fire crews were called out to assist.

A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue said: 'We attended Horsburgh Street and isolated the supply before engineers came from the Transco.'

It remains unknown what caused the gas leak - although the Peeblesshire News has been told it came from an external pipe.

Mr Laurie had been dubbed the neighbour from hell after upsetting elderly residents around his home.

But this week it was sympathy that was being expressed for the troubled teenager. One neighbour, who we agreed not to name, told us: 'He"d obviously had a difficult life.

'He should never have been housed on his own in a street with lots of old folk and young families. He needed care and supervision.'

Paul Laurie had become a regular at Borders courts following a string of anti-social incidents.

His unsupervised flat became a gathering place for teenagers from the town.

In February the sheriff at Peebles imposed a bail condition stating he was not allowed any more visitors to his flat, except for close family, following complaints about noise in the quiet residential street where he lived.

He was due to return to the same Peebles court room on Wednesday to face a charge of breaching his ASBO.