Mother-of two Katie Kenyon died of head injuries, police have said, as they confirmed a body discovered in a forest is hers.
The 33-year-old from Padiham, Burnley, was found on Friday following "extensive searches" of the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire Constabulary said, and has now been formally identified.
She was last seen at about 9.30am on Friday 22 April.
"A Home Office post-mortem examination was conducted yesterday and the cause of death was given as head injuries," the force added in a statement on Sunday.
"Our thoughts remain with Katie's family and loved ones at this difficult time. The family continues to be supported by our specially trained officers."
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Image:Police made 'extensive searches' in the Forest of Bowland
Andrew Burfield, 50, appeared at Preston Crown Court by video link from HMP Preston on Friday, charged with Ms Kenyon's murder.
Burfield, from Burnley, spoke only to confirm his identity during the seven-minute hearing.
He was remanded in custody and a trial date was set for 14 November.
Mother-of two Katie Kenyon died of head injuries, police have said, as they confirmed a body discovered in the Forest of Bowland is hers.
The 33-year-old from Padiham, Burnley, was found on Friday following "extensive searches", Lancashire Constabulary said, and has now been formally identified.
She was last seen at about 9.30am on Friday 22 April.
"A Home Office post-mortem examination was conducted yesterday and the cause of death was given as head injuries," the force added in a statement on Sunday.
"Our thoughts remain with Katie's family and loved ones at this difficult time. The family continues to be supported by our specially trained officers."
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Image:Police made 'extensive searches' in the Forest of Bowland
Andrew Burfield, 50, appeared at Preston Crown Court by video-link from HMP Preston on Friday, charged with Ms Kenyon's murder.
Burfield, from Burnley, spoke only to confirm his identity during the seven-minute hearing.
He was remanded in custody and a trial date was set for 14 November.
Many voters in England, Wales and Scotland will head to the polls on 5 May to elect their new local representatives.
More than 4,350 seats will be contested in England on over 140 councils, with all of Scotland's 32 councils and all 22 councils in Wales also holding elections.
While these elections will directly decide who is responsible in an individual's area for planning issues, housing and rubbish collections - they will also allow voters to have their say on national issues including the cost of living crisis, the ongoing row over parties held in Downing Streetand across Whitehall and the government's response to the war in Ukraine.
With a vast number of seats being contested, the results are likely to paint a vivid picture of the national mood for the first time since the 2019 snap general election.
But how do they work, what are the key areas to look out for and what will be constituted as a good or bad result for the main parties?
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How can I vote?
To vote in the upcoming local elections, you need to have registered to do so and be aged over 18 in England, or over 16 in Scotland and Wales.
EU or Commonwealth citizens who live in the UK can vote in England, while any foreign citizen lawfully living in Scotland and Wales has the chance to take part in the polls.
Polling stations will be open between 07:00 and 22:00 on 5 May - but as long as you are in the queue at 22:00 you are within your right to cast your vote.
Voting usually takes places in local schools, churches and leisure centres and you will be given a ballot paper on your arrival.
In some circumstances, for example if you have COVID, you can apply for an emergency proxy vote - where someone votes on your behalf - until 17:00 on polling day.
Image:Local councils are responsible for issues such as rubbish collection, planning reform and mental health services
What am I voting for?
Local councillors are elected for four-year terms by the local community to represent its views.
They are responsible for a wide range of issues from transport, rubbish collection, planning applications, and managing mental health services.
Taking part in the polls allows residents a say over what is happening in their locality.
Local residents can cast votes for as many council seats as there are being contested in their ward - which will be made clear at the top of the ballot paper.
What are the key results to look out for?
London, which accounts for more than four in 10 of all the English seats in play, could witness some upsets for either of the two main parties.
Wandsworth and Westminster - both currently controlled by the Conservatives - are two London councils which are particularly in the spotlight.
Labour won more votes but fewer seats in the local Wandsworth elections last time around - but hold all the constituency MPs - and will be wanting a different outcome next month.
An early adopter of Thatcherite policies including council house sales and privatisation, the Conservatives will be keen to hold on to the prized south London council.
Westminster has never been under the control of another party, but some commentators believe the Conservatives could come under pressure here as the partygate row rages.
Other southern councils where the Conservatives are also expected to face a challenge include Westminster, Barnet, Harlow, Southampton and Thurrock.
Meanwhile in Croydon, currently Labour-held authority dogged by financial woes as of late, could see Labour face a battle amid rising voter dissatisfaction.
Hartlepool, which the Conservatives gained in a by-election in 2021 - winning more than half of all votes from Labour for the first time since its creation in 1971 - will likely be in Labour's sights.
Labour lost control of the authority in 2019 and It is currently run by a coalition of Conservatives and Hartlepool Independent Union councillors.
Peterborough was won by Labour in a by-election in 2019, only for the party to lose it to the Conservatives in the general election months later.
The result there could therefore be seen as a good indicator of public opinion on the current government.
In Wales, with the majority of councils are currently run by coalitions, it will be interesting to see if this changes and if Labour can hold Cardiff while the Conservatives can maintain a strong standing in the north-east of the country.
Meanwhile, in Scotland, all eyes will be on whether the Conservatives can at least maintain or even improve on the gains they made from Labour in 2017.
When will we know the results?
The results are expected in the early hours and throughout the day on Friday, with some councils also likely to declare on Saturday.
In England, around half of the councils are expected to begin their vote counts overnight on Thursday, with the remaining councils starting on Friday morning.
Meanwhile, in Scotland and Wales, the counts will not begin until Friday, with the earliest results not expected until that afternoon.
A fuller picture should be more clear from Friday evening.
Image:Labour will be wanting to capitalise on their increased popularity in recent opinion polls
What will the main parties consider as a good or bad result?
Leading pollsters Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher have given their interpretation of how we should view the possible outcomes of the polls.
They suggest that more then 350 losses would be the figure that the Conservative Party won't want to reach.
This could lead to many Conservative MPs - in both former Red-Wall marginal seats and seats across the south - to be particularly worried.
The party will attempt to write off losses of between 100 to 150 as "mid-term blues", the pollsters suggest, but this level of decline will still indicate that the Tories trail Labour in terms of popular support.
Meanwhile, gains of over 100 would show the Conservatives are continuing to make inroads in former-Labour heartlands and would be seen as a great success for Mr Johnson's government.
Labour, on the other hand, will be wanting to capitalise on their growing popularity, according to recent polls.
Mr Rallings and Mr Thrasher suggest that 200 or more gains - which would be the party's best local election performance for a decade, would be seen as a triumph for Sir Keir Starmer.
Gains of between 50 and 100 would also be seen as a positive step forward, illustrating the party has made progress since 2018 and possibly even targeted some key council seats in London.
However, minimal or no gains would be seen as disappointing given Mr Johnson's current declining popularity ratings.
Over 100 losses would be portrayed as a particularly poor result, shadowing the woes of 2021.
Image:Boris Johnson's premiership may be under even more pressure if the Conservatives perform badly
What happens now?
As Boris Johnson faces increasing pressure over the partygate scandal, the local elections will be seen as an indication of what voters have made of the matter.
If the Conservatives perform poorly in these elections, his premiership could be under even more strain - with a potential leadership challenge nearing closer to being triggered.
Tory MPs will likely be concerned that, if repeated at the next general election, similar results could see Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer become prime minister.
At the end of November, reports were swirling that letters of no confidence were being sent to the influential 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers as the partygate issue reared its head.
The Conservative Party's rules state that at least 15% of Tory MPs must write a no-confidence letter to make a leadership challenge possible.
There are currently 359 Conservative MPs, meaning 54 letters are needed to trigger a contest.
Before the elections, more than a dozen Tory MPs were calling for Mr Johnson to go.
This number could now increase. But as the letters are handed in confidentially, no accurate total of how many have been submitted to 1922 Committee Chairman Sir Graham is available.
But Mr Johnson has been adamant that he will still be PM in six months despite the rumblings of backbench discontent over partygate.
On the other hand, if Labour perform badly - at a time when the Conservative's popularity ratings have been plummeting - Sir Keir's leadership is also likely to be questioned.
This will particularly be the case if the Labour Party fail to retrieve ground in any of the former Red-Wall areas where the Conservatives made general election gains in 2019.
Women will only have access to three months' supply of certain hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products in an effort to tackle shortages across the UK.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid has issued Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) to limit the dispensing of the products.
It means that Oestrogel, Ovestin cream and Premique Low Dose will be given out in limited supply to each person to "even out" the distribution.
The move is in response to concerns regarding longer prescribing cycles putting pressure on the availability of some HRT products.
However, those who already have a prescription for more than three months' supply will not be required to pay the additional charges for treatment they cannot access, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) confirmed.
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Mr Javid said: "I want to reassure women I have listened to their concerns and will not hesitate to take decisive action to ensure they can access the HRT they need.
"We will leave no stone unturned in our national mission to boost supply of HRT - and this next step will ensure women across the UK will be able to reliably access this vital medication and maintain this lifeline for millions who need it."
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Hormone therapy helps to combat menopausal symptoms, which include anxiety, joint pain, disturbed sleep and hot flushes.
The health department said the SSPs will expire on 29 July, with pharmacists expected to "use their professional judgement" in deciding how to apply them.
NHS data suggests that prescriptions for HRT have more than doubled in England over the past five years.
Some 538,000 HRT prescriptions were issued in December, compared with 238,000 in January 2017, figures from OpenPrescribing suggest.
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Shortage of HRT medication
Amidst the ongoing shortages, the firm behind popular HRT treatment Oestrogel recently said it is on track to meet growing demand.
Besins Healthcare UK, which makes the gel, said that from June women will be able to get longer-term prescriptions and more people can start HRT as they plan to increase supplies.
Mr Javid announced on Thursday that he had appointed Madelaine McTernan, director-general of the COVID Vaccine Taskforce, to lead a new HRT taskforce, which the government said "will apply lessons it has learned from rolling out the coronavirus vaccine".
Ms McTernan said: "This is a step in the right direction of tackling the supply issues women are facing when it comes to accessing HRT and ensuring ongoing, reliable supply."
A man accused of murdering Katie Kenyon, who has been missing since she was spotted getting into a van a week ago, will stand trial on 14 November.
Mother-of-two Ms Kenyon, 33, was last seen in the Ford Transit in Burnley, Lancashire, on the morning of 22 April.
Police, who believe she is no longer alive, said a reported sighting of the van led them to prioritise a search in a wooded area in the Forest of Bowland.
Andrew Burfield, 50 and of Burnley, appeared at Preston Crown Court.
Elizabeth Cook/PA Wire
Mr Burfield, of Todmorden Road, was remanded in custody.
On Thursday, additional forensic searches were being carried out at a particular area in the Forest of Bowland to determine whether it could be linked to Ms Kenyon's disappearance, Lancashire Police said.
The force said Ms Kenyon's family was aware of the development.
Searches were carried out the previous day in parts of Gisburn Forest in the Ribble Valley, with more than 60 specialist officers from four forces scouring the dense woodland.
Fire service officers, dog teams, mounted police, mountain rescue volunteers and drones were also being used in the searches.
Ms Kenyon's family had earlier said her disappearance was out of character.
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A serving Met Police officer has been charged with rape.
PC Ireland Murdock allegedly attacked his victim in Lambeth while he was off duty on 25 September last year.
He was arrested on 11 January and will appear at Croydon Magistrates' Court on Friday.
PC Murdock has been suspended from duties. The Met's Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed, as has the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
Specialist officers are supporting PC Murdock's alleged victim, Scotland Yard said.
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A government plan to allow asylum cases to be processed overseas will become law, after MPs and peers passed it just in time to beat the cut-off point.
Parliament was suspended on Thursday, and legislation had to be approved by then or be thrown out.
The Nationality and Borders Bill passed on Wednesday night, ending months of rows between the Lords and the Commons over its likely impact on refugees.
Controversial changes to elections and the justice system also passed.
Parliament has been prorogued, or suspended, so the government can lay out its plans for the next year or so when it returns for the Queen's Speech on 10 May.
Bills - which must be approved in every detail by both the Commons and Lords - had to be passed or discarded by the time Thursday's proceedings ended, except for a select few which were "carried over" to the next parliamentary session.
Contentious provisions in the Nationality and Borders Bill included offshoring asylum - handling claims at overseas facilities - and making it a criminal offence to knowingly arrive in the UK illegally.
The Lords has repeatedly amended the legislation and sent it back to the Commons, where MPs - the majority of whom are Conservatives - have overturned the changes.
This back-and-forth, known as parliamentary "ping-pong", ended on Wednesday when, following an occasionally bad-tempered debate, the Lords backed the bill.
Home Secretary Priti Patel called it "a huge milestone in our commitment to our promise to the British public" of an improved immigration system.
She added: "While there is no single solution to the global migration crisis, these new laws are the first step in overhauling our decades-old, broken asylum system.
"We will now work tirelessly to deliver these reforms to ensure we have an immigration system that protects those in genuine need while cracking down on abuse of the system and evil people-smuggling gangs."
But there were cries of "shame" from some peers when the legislation passed.
Liberal Democrat Lord Paddick said he was "appalled" and "disgusted" by the bill, while Labour former shadow attorney general Baroness Chakrabarti accused the Commons of giving "two fingers" to the Lords.
More than 200 organisations, including Oxfam and Save the Children, said they would challenge its outcomes, calling it "anti-refugee".
In a statement, they said the new law "rips up internationally recognised rights for people fleeing war and persecution, and will criminalise thousands of refugees".
But it has said a "firm but fair" asylum system is needed to tackle people-smuggling gangs and reduce deaths among people making dangerous cross-Channel journeys in small boats.
Justice and elections bills
Peers also backed down from their row with the Commons over the Elections Bill.
This includes the introduction of photo ID for voters, which it is feared could see a significant number of people turned away from polling stations.
Other measures include parliamentary oversight of the Electoral Commission, which monitors and runs the voting system, and scrapping the 15-year limit on British citizens living overseas being able to vote from abroad.
Labour's Baroness Hayman said the government had "simply got it wrong on requiring voter ID" and was "undermining of the independence of the Electoral Commission".
Liberal Democrat Lord Wallace of Saltaire said: "One of the many adverse affects of this bill is that it makes it much easier, and without barriers, for overseas citizens to vote, but makes it more difficult for domestic citizens to vote. That's very odd, and not entirely democratic."
But Cabinet Office minister Lord True said the government did not have a "static position" on which forms of ID could be used to access polling stations.
Other bills
The Judicial Review and Courts Bill also went through after peers dropped a last-ditch attempt to fund bereaved families' legal representation at inquests involving public bodies.
The government said the inclusion of the clause to this effect was "premature", as there was an ongoing consultation on legal aid access.
Some bills have been carried over, meaning they can continue their progress in the next parliamentary session, rather than being ditched.
These include Online Safety Bill, regulating online companies and the Product Safety and Telecommunications Bill, which would extend 5G coverage
The Higher Education Bill, which would places a duty on universities in England to ensure free speech, and the Animal Welfare Bill, which seeks to crack down on puppy smuggling, have also been carried over.
