Sophia Aitken ‘was loved by everyone who knew her’(Image: Police Scotland)
The family of a 12-year-old girl who tragically died after being struck by a bus in North Ayrshire have paid an emotional tribute to their “ray of sunshine”.
Sophia Aitken was reportedly on her school lunch break when she was hit by a bus on Lauchlan Way in Kilwinning at around 1.10pm on Tuesday.
Emergency services rushed to the scene, but the schoolgirl was pronounced dead at the location. No other injuries were reported.
In a heartbreaking statement released through Police Scotland, Sophia’s family said they were devastated by the loss of their beloved daughter.
They 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.”
The collision happened on Lauchlan Way, where the road remained closed as police carried out their initial investigations.
Sergeant Stewart Taylor said officers’ thoughts were with Sophia’s family and friends, as well as everyone affected by the tragedy.
He said: “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 for several hours while investigations were underway before reopening at around 7.30pm on Tuesday.
Police Scotland is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision and has urged anyone who may have witnessed what happened to come forward.
Sergeant Taylor added: “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.
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