Catherine Shaw: Body found in search for British backpacker who went missing in Guatemala

23-year-old's body found nearly a week after she went missing

The body of a British backpacker who went missing in Guatemala has been discovered, authorities in the Central American nation have said.

Catherine Shaw, 23, from Witney, in Oxfordshire, vanished after leaving Eco Hotel Mayachik in the area of Lake Atitlan, near San Pedro and San Juan, on 5 March.

The Lucie Blackman Trust, which has been supporting her family, said a body “believed to be Catherine” was found on Monday.

It said: “Formal identification has not taken place but the body is believed to be Catherine. Catherine’s family have been informed. Please respect their privacy at this difficult time.”

Police spokesman Pablo Castillo later confirmed the body, found at a mountain overlook called Nariz del Indio, was that of the missing 23-year-old.

The area is wooded and uninhabited, and the body was found among brush without clothes and in a state of decomposition. An investigation has been opened.

A Facebook page set up by friends of Ms Shaw to help coordinate efforts to find her, raised funds to launch a helicopter to search for the 23-year-old.

An update was posted to it saying Ms Shaw had been found.

It said: “Our diligent searchers have found Catherine Shaw’s body at the top of El Naudiz in San Juan La Laguna. The municipality, police, rescuers and volunteers have been searching the area since 8.30am this morning. We appreciate everyone’s effort and help in bringing resolution to the situation.”

Ms Shaw, who had been travelling since September and had already visited Mexico and California, had been backpacking in Guatemala with a friend for two weeks when she disappeared.

She is said to have left her hotel in the early hours of Tuesday morning, but later returned.

She then left again and took a puppy with her but no possessions as she headed in the direction of the lake.

Guatemalan tourists later found the animal alone at the highest lookout of Indian Nose, a volcano overlooking Lake Atitlan, San Pedro and San Juan, between 5am and 6am on Friday morning.

Additional reporting by agencies