Test results on human remains will take time, say police looking for Catherine Gowing

Police in North Wales searching for the missing Irish woman Catherine Gowing have said that post mortem results on human remains found at two separate locations will not be made known until next week.

North Wales Police, who have been searching for Catherine Gowing, 37, said yesterday that the second set of remains were found by an off-duty Cheshire police officer close to the River Dee in Higher Ferry, Chester.

A North Wales Police spokesman said they were alerted at 2.15pm to the discovery of the human remains in Ferry Lane, Higher Ferry.

He added: “North Wales Police search team officers, who were deployed nearby in the continuing search for Catherine Gowing, were alerted to the discovery and co-ordinated the response and recovery.

“The human remains have been recovered and the immediate scene secured pending a forensic examination and further detailed search.

“The human remains will be subject of a post-mortem and forensic examination to determine formal identification.”

On Wednesday, search team officers discovered human remains in a shallow pool within a field in Sealand, Deeside. Tests are continuing on those remains.

Ms Gowing, who is originally from Clonlee, Co Offaly, was last seen on Friday October 12 at a supermarket near her home in New Brighton, Flintshire, North Wales.

Ms Gowing was reported missing when she failed to arrive for work at the Evans Veterinary Practice in Mold, Flintshire, on Monday October 15.

Later that week police recovered her car which had been torched and abandoned in a disused quarry.

Police said they have devoted extensive resources to the search operation.

Clive Sharp (aged 46) of no fixed address, has been charged with murder and was remanded in custody until January 7 when he is due to enter his plea.