Sophie Burns: Body of ‘beautiful and talented’ woman, 28, found after disappearance last year

Police say circumstances ‘not believed to be suspicious’

Sophie, of Dalton Crescent, Carlisle, was last seen on 12 December (Cumbria Police)

Police confirmed on Tuesday that a body found in Cumbria is that of Sophie Burns, the 28-year-old who has been missing for 10 weeks.

Sophie was last seen on 12 December in the Dalton Crescent area of Carlisle. Her body was found on Monday in Burgh-by-Sands at around 3pm

Paying tribute to her daughter, Sophie’s mum Pauline told local online newspaper Cumbria Live: “We will always miss our beautiful and talented daughter.

“No one will ever replace the emptiness in our lives.”

In a Facebook post, Sophie’s partner Lucy added she wished Sophie “could have seen all the love and support” she has received since she went missing last year.

“I wish I could just talk to you one last time and I wish I could have done more to help you,” she said. “I know you are at peace now from all of your demons. Rest easy Soaf, until we meet again. The brightest star in the sky.”

Police said the circumstances around Sophie’s death are not believed to be suspicious.

Since she disappeared, multiple searches have taken place including a drone search around the Solway Firth organised by her partner. Until now, though, no traces of her were found.

In a statement, a Cumbria Police spokesperson said: “The body of a woman found in the area of Burgh-by-Sands yesterday (21 February), has been formally identified as Sophie Burns, of Dalton Crescent, Carlisle.

“The circumstances are not believed to be suspicious. A file has been prepared for the coroner.”

Pauline, Sophie’s mother, said that until her own daughter’s disappearance she had not realised how many people go missing each year in Britain.

“You don’t think it will happen to you,” she said during her interview with local reporters, “but I have found out that at least 200,000 people go missing [annually].”

According to the charity Missing People, some 170,000 people are reported missing every year in the UK – 98,000 of which are adults and more than 70,000 children.

Pauline added that over the weekend, family and friends had been out “with drones” searching for her daughter, but it was like “looking for a needle in a haystack”.

Meanwhile, Lilly Van Verdriet, one of those involved in the search for Sophie, posted in the “Help to bring Sophie Burns home safe” Facebook group to thank the public for their support.

“After all this time – at least she is found,” Ms van Verdriet wrote. “Thank you for everyone who helped searching – Sophie was a wonderful person and we saw how much she brought people together after she went missing.

“We will never forget her.”