CAMPER VAN PLEA OVER ALAYED MURDER

Police want to trace a camper van which may have been used to dispose of the body of a mother-of-three and have refocused their search to North Yorkshire.

Rania Alayed, 25, was reported missing from her home in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, on July 2, having been last seen in public on the evening of June 7.

The focus of the search has switched to North Yorkshire in recent weeks after detectives established that a white camper van travelled from Manchester to the area around the time of her disappearance.

It is believed the vehicle stopped in an unidentified layby on the northboundA19 near Thirsk in the early hours of Saturday June 8.

Officers from Greater Manchester Police, supported by teams from North Yorkshire, have been searching a stretch of the road in recent weeks and are now appealing to the public for help.

Letters have been sent to 350 motorists who are known to have driven in the area between 3am and 5am on June 8 to see if they have any information on the camper van.

Ms Alayed previously lived in Cleveland in north-east England and moved to Manchester in January.

Her disappearance was described by police as "extremely out of character".

Two men have been charged with her murder and are next due in court in October.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is also investigating how Greater Manchester Police dealt with previous contact with Ms Alayed, who reported being a victim of domestic violence.

Anyone with information on the movements of the white camper van should contact the Major Investigation Team on 0161 856 4711