Woman's body found on golf course

THE BODY of a woman was found on a championship golf course today hours after she went missing from a party.

A passer-by found the body in woodland next to a fairway at Woburn Golf and Country Club on the Bedfordshire/Buckinghamshire border.

The course is out of use to members because of drainage problems.

The woman, not yet formally identified, had suffered severe head injuries.

Believed to be in her late twenties or early thirties, she was reported missing by a friend yesterday afternoon. He told police that she had not been seen since about 2am yesterday, after attending a party in Milton Keynes.

A description of the woman was circulated to local police and she was placed on the missing persons register. The search for her became a murder hunt this morning when the body was discovered.

Detectives, who confirmed they were treating the death as suspicious, have set up an incident room.

They also erected a white tent over the body as a Home Office pathologist was called to the Marquis Course, which forms part of the Abbey Estate owned by the Marquess and Marchioness of Tavistock. After an initial examination by the pathologist, the body was being taken to Milton Keynes General Hospital, where a full scale post mortem examination will be carried out.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: "We are currently carrying out a detailed search of the area but we have got very little information to go on."

A major police operation was launched involving Thames Valley and Bedfordshire Police, and nearby roads were sealed off as the murder hunt started.

Woburn has played host to a number of golf championships including the Victor Chandler British Masters.

Staff at the club refused to comment on the discovery.

Copyright 2000
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.