Human remains found in search for missing woman Sarah Everard

A man has been arrested in suspicion of murder over the disappearance of Sarah Everard (Victoria Jones/PA)

Human remains have been found in the search for missing woman Sarah Everard, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said.

The discovery was made in an area of woodland in Ashford in Kent, Commissioner Cressida Dick said.

“We are not able to confirm any identity. That may take some considerable time,” she added.

A police officer held over the disappearance of Sarah Everard has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Ms Dick added: “The news today that it was a Metropolitan Police officer who was arrested on suspicion of Sarah’s murder has sent shockwaves and anger through the public and through the Met.

“I speak on behalf of all my colleagues when I say that we are utterly appalled at this dreadful, dreadful news.

Our job is to patrol the streets and to protect people.

Ms Everard’s disappearance in “awful and wicked circumstances” are every family’s nightmare, Ms Dick said.

She said Londoners should know that it is “thankfully incredibly rare” for a woman to be abducted from the capital’s streets.

The commissioner added the investiagtion is "large, determined and extremely fast moving", and her thoughts are with Ms Everard’s family.

On Wednesday, the Metropolitan Police said the man, who is in his 40s and is part of the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command, was being questioned over suspected kidnap and murder.

Two sites in Kent were being searched on Wednesday as the hunt for the missing 33-year-old continued – one of which is believed to be the suspect’s home.

Marketing executive Ms Everard vanished while walking home from a friend’s flat in south London on Wednesday March 3.

Late on Tuesday, the Met Police said a serving officer from the force had been arrested as part of the investigation, but in an unusual step would not reveal what he had been detained for.

Police activity outside a house in Freemens Way in Deal, Kent (Steve Parsons/PA)

On Wednesday, the force said he had been initially arrested on suspicion of kidnap, and later murder, as well as a separate allegation of indecent exposure.

A woman in her 30s was also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

The police searches in Kent saw a tent erected at the front of a house in Freemens Way in Deal, where multiple cars were taken away by investigators. Later, a metal fence was put up surrounding the front garden and driveway.

A neighbour in the road said a police officer lives at the address with his “chatty” wife and two children.

She said: “They just seemed like a normal, regular family, there was nothing strange about them at all.”

She added that police were digging up the garden.

Sarah Everard, who went missing while walking home from a friend’s flat in south London on March 3 (Metropolitan Police/PA)

Matt Mullan, 29, who also lives nearby, told the PA news agency: “Last night there were police cars outside all night.

“I thought this is a bit strange, not normal for round here.

“It was about 8-9pm there was heavy traffic out there and there have been police cars outside all morning.

“It’s very surprising, definitely not what you expect to see.”

Another said: “You don’t expect it to be on your doorstep, really.

“You see this sort of thing every day on the TV and the news but you don’t expect it.”

Officers from the Metropolitan Police search woodland near to Great Chart Golf and Leisure in Ashford, Kent. (Gareth Fuller/PA)

The land near Ashford is a disused outdoor activity and golfing centre near the village of Great Chart.

Downing Street said Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s thoughts are with Ms Everard and her friends and family.

His official spokesman told journalists at a Westminster briefing: “As investigations are ongoing on this case I can’t comment.

“But the Prime Minister’s thoughts are with Sarah and her friends and family.”

The  arrested officer, who was not on duty at the time of Ms Everard’s disappearance, was responsible for uniformed patrolling of diplomatic premises.

Speaking at Scotland Yard on Wednesday morning, Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave said: “The fact that the man who has been arrested is a serving Metropolitan Police officer is both shocking and deeply disturbing.”

He told reporters that detectives are working “at all speed” to find out what has happened to Ms Everard, and repeated appeals for members of the public to come forward with information.

Turning to the 33-year-old’s family, who along with her friends have issued desperate appeals for help via social media, he said: “As a father myself, of four young women, I can only imagine the anguish that Sarah’s family are feeling at this very very difficult time.”

Ms Everard’s uncle Nicholas told MailOnline that the whole family were shocked to hear a police officer had been arrested.

He said: “I could never have imagined that the investigation could have taken such an unexpected twist.”

Ms Everard is thought to have walked through Clapham Common towards her house in Brixton – a journey which should have taken around 50 minutes.

She was last captured on a doorbell camera walking along the A205 Poynders Road towards Tulse Hill at around 9.30pm on March 3.

The case has been referred to watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct because it involves a police officer.

A spokesman said it had been decided that the Metropolitan Police would investigate any potential conduct issues linked to the kidnap and murder allegations itself.

The IOPC is currently assessing whether any further action should be taken in relation to the actions of police after Ms Everard was reported missing.