A ROW has broken out between a police rank-and-file body and senior officers over the Janet McKay missing persons investigation.

Senior sources within the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) said they were left "genuinely bewildered" by the decision to issue a statement about a possible sighting of the pensioner not being followed up by police officers.

In late editions of yesterday’s Evening Times, we revealed a city cop failed to act on a tip-off about Janet.

Police are now facing a formal investigation over their search for 88-year-old, who was later found dead.

The Evening Times understands the tip-off from a member of the public was not passed to a call handling centre - but to an individual officer, who only has "weeks service" with the force.

The information was given to the officer who was “on the ground” carrying out door-to-door inquiries in Knightswood two days after the pensioner was last seen.

An SPF source said: "What should have been a quiet word of advice from a sergeant to a relatively inexperienced officer, has now been announced to the world and an investigation has been launched.

"This storm is the consequence of Police Scotland's own stupidity.

"The information passed to the officer was third-hand and would have been put to the bottom of the pile, if it had been passed to the inquiry time.

"There's no evidence not passing on the information had any impact. Nothing would have been done any different."

Janet, who had dementia, was last seen by neighbours in Dykebar Avenue, Knightswood, on September 16.

Chief Superintendent Andy Bates has apologised after police admitted the sighting provided by a member of the public to police on September 18, was not passed to the call handling centres or the inquiry team.

The Divisional Commander apologised to her family for “any distress caused at this difficult time”.

Further information was received about the sighting on Tuesday through the call handling centre, who passed it to the inquiry team and after “further extensive” inquiry what is believed to be Janet’s body was found at 10.30am yesterday in the Clydebank area.

Calum Steele, General Secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said incidents like this were "rare".

He added: "The apology issued on Thursday evening will raise some questions."

Another source added: "It's absolute nonsense.

"What appears to have happened here is a senior officer who may be eyeing up the job of chief constable has tried to say "Look how open Police Scotland is without Steve House", but it has monumentally backfired and now the public believe a scandal has engulfed the force."

It comes two months after the Police Investigation and Review Commissioner (PIRC) launched a probe into the deaths of Lamara Bell and her partner John Yuill in a car accident on the M9 in July.

Police Scotland only investigated the crash three days after it was reported to them in a phone call.

Chief Constable Sir Stephen House last month announced he will stand down earlier than expected following sustained public and political criticism over call centre failings, and controversies over stop-and-search and armed police patrols.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said the death was a tragedy, as he offered his condolences to Janet’s family.

He said: “What’s now important though is that we establish all of the facts relating to this particular matter.

“It’s important that we allow them to undertake that investigation, which will be directed by the Lord Advocate, who will ensure that there is a very thorough and timely investigation into this matter because that’s what the family deserve at the very least in order to get answers to how they conducted this particular inquiry.”