yeates

 

hunting for the missing Bristol architect Joanna Yeates sealed off part of a golf course after a young woman's body was found by a couple walking their dogs on this morning. The discovery was made in the Failand area, about four miles outside the city centre.



Police search for clues in the area where a body was discovered at Clifton Golf Club. Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images Ms Yeates, 25, has not been seen or heard from for nine days, following an evening out on 17 December with work colleagues in the city. Her boyfriend Greg Reardon, 27, reported her missing two days later after returning home to their flat from a weekend visiting his family in Sheffield to find her keys, telephone, handbag and coat but no sign of Ms Yeates. Detectives are investigating the possibility that she was abducted. Tonight Ms Yeates's father David, 63, said he and his family were "just waiting now for the police to tell us what we suspect". "Of course, we don't know for sure that it's her, but we assume that it is," Mr Yeates said. "Nobody else has been reported missing and it's the body of a young girl close to where Jo disappeared. "It hasn't been a Christmas for us. I don't know what it's been. It's been surreal, totally unreal." Yeates said that if the body found was Joanna's, he "would be relieved", as her family assumed that she was dead. "We don't want to go to our graves wondering where she is and not being given the chance to say goodbye to her," he said. "We assume that she's dead so we'd like to say goodbye ... our lives have gone." Chief Superintendent Jon Stratford said that a postmortem examination would be conducted on Sunday. Yeates was last seen leaving the Ram pub in Park Street, near the city centre, at about 8pm, walking up the street. She shopped in Waitrose on the way – where she was seen on CCTV – and then rang her best friend to arrange to meet on Christmas Eve. She went on to the Tesco Express on Regent Street, a quarter of a mile from her flat on Canynge Road, Clifton. Officers released footage of her buying a pizza in Tesco, which has become a key part of the investigation. There was no trace of the pizza, the wrapping or the box in the flat – despite the fact that other personal items, including her mobile phone, were inside. Thirty detectives have been working on the investigation and are being assisted by another 40 staff, including uniformed officers, forensic experts and search teams. Earlier today a white tent was erected over the ditch – near the Bristol City FC training ground – where the body was found. Police closed off both ends of Longwood Lane and forensic officers were carrying out a search of the area. Uniformed police officers with wooden poles were searching grass verges. Fire brigade officers were also helping with the recovery of the body. A police spokesman said that the body, which was clothed and covered in snow, had been found by a couple walking their dogs. "A pathologist will be attending the scene to examine the body," he said. "It is far too early to confirm the cause of death."