Appeal after woman's body found in field

Police yesterday appealed for the public's help after the body of woman in her 50s was found burned in a farmer's field.

The unidentified white woman had curly grey hair and curvature of the spine that made her look even smaller than her height of just 5 feet, Thames Valley Police have said.

Her burned body was found next to suitcase, thought to have been used to transport the body, in Milton Common, near Thame, Oxfordshire on Friday afternoon.

Police say that she was burned after death and witnesses have reported seeing a fire in the farm fields on Thursday evening.

Acting Detective Superintendent Rob Mason said that the proximity of the site to the M40 motorway means that police are keeping an open mind about where the woman came from.

He said: "We are appealing for the public to think if they know this woman and perhaps have not seen her for a couple of days. She could have gone missing or maybe friends or family have just not been able to get in touch with her recently."

He added that extensive tests need to be completed before police will know the cause of the woman's death.