Police confirm body found is missing architect

Police have said they are "satisfied" a body found on a country lane on Christmas Day is missing architect Joanna Yeates.

A spokesman said they are treating the death as suspicious, but are waiting for the results of a post-mortem examination due tomorrow.

Miss Yeates, 25, from Clifton, Bristol, had not been seen since December 17 when CCTV showed her in a Tesco store on her way home to her flat in Canynge Road.

Friends launched a campaign to find her by putting up posters across Bristol and setting up a website, a page on Facebook and using Twitter.

Tributes have since been paid to Miss Yeates - known as Jo - on the Facebook site.

Bec Wood wrote: "Rest In Peace Jo. You will always be loved and remembered for being so beautiful, kind, successful, and lovely. You made Greg so happy. Our thoughts are with Greg, your parents and all of your families and friends. We will miss you Jo, and hope that you have peace now. Love and prayers xxxxxx"

Michael Whitcher added: "Rest in peace little Jo, we will miss you always. My hearts and thoughts go out to her family, and I am thankful I knew you. God bless xxx".

The discovery of a body was made at 9am on yesterday on a snow-covered verge three miles from where Miss Yeates lived.

A couple had been walking their dogs along Longwood Lane, close to Bristol and Clifton Golf Club, which was later sealed off for forensic examination.

Police said the formal identification procedure is yet to be completed, but they have today spoken to Miss Yeates' family.

An Avon and Somerset police spokesman said: "Police are satisfied that the body is that of 25-year-old landscape architect Joanna Yeates, who went missing during the weekend before Christmas."

Miss Yeates' father said he "would be relieved" if the body was his daughter so they would have the opportunity to say goodbye.

Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph, David Yeates said: "It hasn't been a Christmas for us. I don't know what it's been. It's been surreal, totally unreal.

"In truth we feel like we hope ... we would be relieved if it was her.

"We don't want to go to our graves wondering where she is and not being given the chance to say goodbye to her."

The Avon Fire Service helped police remove the body, which was clothed and covered in snow, from the scene in order to preserve the site for a thorough forensic examination.

Police today continued their fingertip search in the Longwood Lane area and have said they will be looking at footage from the Clifton suspension bridge, which is the main route from Miss Yeates' house to where she was found.

Chief Superintendent Jon Stratford said: "Our heartfelt condolences go out to Joanna's family for their loss.

"We have not stopped working hard throughout the Christmas period to find their daughter after she was reported missing.

"Now we will work just as hard to discover exactly what happened to her and how she came to be in Longwood Lane on Christmas morning.

"Until the post-mortem examination is able to firmly establish how Joanna died, we are keeping an open mind about the cause of her death.

"However, I would appeal to anyone with any information whatsoever that can help this investigation to please come forward and help us provide Joanna's parents with the answers they so desperately want and need."

A post-mortem examination has been taking place in Bristol, but due to the extreme freezing conditions in which Miss Yeates' body was found, results are not expected until tomorrow at the earliest.

The last known sighting of Miss Yeates was on CCTV as she bought a pizza at a branch of Tesco Express in the Clifton area of Bristol on the evening of December 17.

The university graduate, who worked as a landscape architect for BDP, was making her way home from the Ram pub in Park Street at about 8pm after a night out with work colleagues.

On her way home she rang her best friend Rebecca Scott to arrange to meet on Christmas Eve.

Miss Yeates lived with her boyfriend, Greg Reardon, 27, who reported her missing on Sunday night after returning home from a weekend away in Sheffield visiting family.

Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, Mr Reardon's mother, Lydia, from Ilfracombe, Devon, said Miss Yeates and her son were planning to get married and their family Christmas had been shattered by her disappearance.

She said: "She is a lovely, gorgeous girl. Greg has brought her home and she's stayed with us a few times. They've been together for a couple of years now.

"Greg is so fond of her. We thought that when he finished getting the last of his qualifications they would get engaged."

Officers released footage of Miss Yeates buying the 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 her home - despite the fact that the receipt, the coat she was wearing, and her mobile phone and keys were inside.

Anyone who can help the investigation can call the Operation Braid incident room on 0845 456 7000 or the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.