Victoria Taylor: Body found in River Derwent near belongings of missing mother last seen weeks ago

North Yorkshire Police’s Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Fox said the body was found by the police underwater search team at about 11.45am on Tuesday in the River Derwent, “close to where Ms Taylor’s belongings were recovered”.

Speaking at Fulford Police Station, he said formal identification is yet to take place, but Ms Taylor’s family have been informed of this development, and “understandably, they are distressed by today’s news”.

The geriatric nurse, 34, was reported missing from Malton on Monday, September 30. North Yorkshire Police then released a new CCTV sighting of Ms Taylor later that day, as she was spotted at 11.53am at Malton Bus Station on Railway Street.

Specialist search teams had been scouring the River Derwent near where her belongings were found in the town.

Victoria, who had a fiancé and two-year-old daughter, left her home in Malton, North Yorks, at 9.30am on September 30. She was captured on CCTV at a BP garage and more footage showed her with this bag of items at Malton Bus Station.

She was last seen on CCTV walking towards a riverside park at 12.30pm, where her purchased items were later recovered.

The mum, who is originally from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, was described as a white woman who is approximately 5ft 6ins tall in a police appeal. She was last spotted wearing blue jeans, a black Adidas original puffer jacket with white stripes down the sleeves and a grey Jack Wills hooded jumper.

Specialist officers used sonar equipment to search for Victoria, known as Vixx to her friends, who had organised daily searches for her. Victoria's sister Emma - who created a Facebook group dedicated to the search - wrote a heartbreaking entry in which she told of the family's 'torture'.

She wrote: "Day 22. Another day of hope, this is torture. Searching is the only thing that makes us feel like we're doing something. Heidi and I have had a few slips and trips in the mud (after telling you all to be careful).

"There is nothing to write except a massive thanks to everyone out there that is doing something in the search to get our Vixx home. We love you sis and we just want you home."

In a grim update on October 12, police said there was a "significant possibility" that she entered the River Derwent, near where she was last seen. And today, those fears were confirmed by the discovery of a body.

Acc Fox added: "While today's outcome is not what anyone wished for, Victoria's family asked me to express thanks to those who supported North Yorkshire Police and the emergency services. Our thoughts remain very much with them at this time."