The body of an 82-year-old woman was recovered from Ifield mill pond, Crawley, yesterday afternoon, three hours after she vanished from her home.

Relatives, police and the police helicopter searched the town after Irene

Middleton disappeared from her home in Medway Road, Gossops Green, at 10.50am, dressed in her nightclothes.

A police spokesman said there were immediate concerns for her safety because she had been suffering from depression.

Two members of the public called police after seeing Mrs Middleton's body in the mill pond. Relatives were present as her body was recovered.

The area had been searched by police shortly before she was found. Police say there are no suspicious circumstances.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.