THE body of a woman found in Pakefield last night (Thursday) has today been confirmed as that of missing 83-year-old Joyce Parker.

Mrs Parker, from Kettering, went to the beach with her husband, also in his 80s, on Tuesday, September 28, but he became tired and returned to where they were staying, leaving her to continue on her walk.

After appeals for information police received a call yesterday lunchtime (Thursday) reporting a possible sighting of Mrs Parker on the cliff top at Pakefield shortly after the last confirmed sighting of her on the beach.

This enabled police to narrow the search area and, with assistance from the coastguard, officers began a more detailed search. This resulted in the body of a woman being found in the bushes at the back of the beach next to the cliffs near Arbor Lane at Pakefield at 7pm last night.

'Formal identification has now been carried out confirming this is Mrs Parker and a post mortem is due to be held early next week to determine cause of death,' a police spokesman said.

'At this stage the death is being treated as unexplained, however there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances.'