A MAN has been arrested and charged with raping a woman who was later found dead in Maryhill.

A 33-year-old man is alleged to have attacked Alison McAllister, 56, after she disappeared on a trip to Asda on March 20.

The serious sexual assault is said to have taken place at the Forth and Clyde Canal, near to Cleveden Road, where her body was found around 1.30pm the same day.

Read more: Cops probing Alison McAllister death: We need your help to piece together what happened to her

Police continue to investigate the death, which is currently being treated as unexplained.

Investigations have revealed that there was a sighting of Alison around 5.20pm on March 19 in the Summerston area near to Asda.

From there she got into her blue Vauxhall Mokka car and drove off.

The last believed sighting was at the canal bank near to Cleveden Road at around 6.30pm on Monday March 19.

Officers have carried out door to door enquiries and studied CCTV footage in an effort to find further information.

Read more: Cops probing Alison McAllister death: We need your help to piece together what happened to her

More than £1,400 has been raised in memory of Allison.

Devastated locals started the page for the mum-of-two, writing: "Alison was a kind woman who loved her family, she was always so full of fun and often had everyone laughing, she welcomed everyone into her home including all Laura and Garry's friends who often arrived on a Friday and forgot to leave till Monday but Allison loved the madness."

Read more: Cops probing Alison McAllister death: We need your help to piece together what happened to her

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: "A 33-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with a serious sexual assault on a 56-year-old woman on March 20 at the Forth and Clyde canal near Clevedon Road.

“Police continue to investigate the death of the 56-year-old , which is being treated as unexplained.”