Body of missing mum found

missing mum found dead

Vanessa Ford was last seen near her home in east London on Saturday

A body has been found in a search for a missing woman following an appeal by friends and a best selling author.

Vanessa Ford was last seen on doorbell footage near her home in east London on Saturday.

Friends of the mum shared desperate appeals to find her – including best selling author of The Hungover Games, Sophie Heawood.

In a statement today the Met Police said: ‘A woman was reported missing to the Met on the evening of Saturday, September 23 and a number of enquiries were undertaken to locate her.

‘We have been made aware of an investigation by the British Transport Police following a death on tracks between Dalston Kingsland and Hackney Central on Saturday morning and are liaising with them.

‘While formal identification awaits, the family of Vanessa Ford have been informed of this development.’

A spokesperson for the British Transport Police added: ‘Officers were called to the line close to Dalston Kingsland at 11.49am on 23 September following reports of a casualty on the tracks.

‘Paramedics also attended…sadly a person was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.’

It is understood Vanessa had returned home from Manchester at 10am on Saturday morning.

Doorbell footage showed her walking along the pavement an hour after she had left her house in a change of clothes.

She was wearing a dark top and leggings in the Richmond Road area of Hackney at around 11am – close to where she lived.

Vanessa was also seen carrying a pink and white water bottle and her last confirmed sighting was on St Philip’s Road in Hackney.

Sharing a photo of the missing woman, author Heawood wrote: ‘A friend of friends, a mother, has gone missing from London Fields, Hackney.

‘Missing person Vanessa has been missing since 11am Sat 23rd September.

‘Last seen in vicinity of Richmond Road where she lives, in dark top and leggings.

‘Please contact police with any info at all.’

Dozens of members of the public also helped in the search for the mum following the author’s appeal.

What additional information could help in understanding the reasons behind Vanessa Ford's disappearance?

How would the outcome have been different if Vanessa Ford had not returned home from Manchester?