The relatives of a woman murdered by the IRA over 30 years ago were facing the prospect of a long and anxious wait today, after the remains of a woman’s body were found.

Bones have been found close to a beach where the IRA claim to have buried the body of a mother they shot dead 30 years ago, it emerged tonight.

Human remains have been found in the north of Co Louth.

The Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams maintains that he did not sanction the killing and secret burial of Jean McConville.

A woman wept tonight as she gave up hope of ever finding the remains of her mother, who was murdered and secretly buried by the IRA.

Relatives of Jean McConville, who was killed by the IRA in the 1970s, are to travel to Co Louth today in the final search for her remains.