Police Search Countryside For Missing Manchester Mum

15 August 2013, 16:10 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Police think the body of a missing Manchester mother-of-three is buried or hidden along a 19-mile stretch of rural road in North Yorkshire.

25-year-old Rania Alayed was reported missing from her home in Cheetham Hill on July 2nd.

She was last seen in public on the night of June 7th.

Officers think she was taken in a white motorhome in the early hours of June 8th to Thirsk in North Yorkshire, where her body was disposed of.

Its thought The Leyland DAF 200, registration number F864 RJB, had stopped in a layby on the northbound A19.

Two men have been charged with Ms Alayed's murder but her body still hasn't been found.

Over the last few weeks, the RAF has helped in the search along the A19 between the junctions of the A168 and the A172 at Osmotherley.

Letters have been sent to 350 motorists who drove in the area between 3am and 5am on June 8th to see if they have any information.

Ms Alayed moved to Manchester in January after living in Stockton-On-Tees in the North East.

The contact between the mum-of-three had with Greater Manchester Police before she disappeared is the subject of an inquiry by the police watchdog.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating because Ms Alayed had reported being a victim of domestic violence.

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Marsh, of GMP, said: "We believe Rania is on that stretch of road.

"We are now satisfied that from the 8th of June there is nothing to suggest that Rania is alive.

"It is a huge search and it is a case of narrowing it down. The area is farming land with open fields and ditches around.

"We believe the Rania's body is buried or concealed somewhere.

"We are hoping to hear from anyone who saw this white camper van and, in particular, if they saw it parked by the side of the road or in a layby.

"I am also interested to hear from anyone walking in the area or working who may have seen some suspicious activity or come across any unusual areas of ground such as a disturbance, cut vegetation.

"We have been working closely with our colleagues in North Yorkshire Police and have used specialist search equipment supplied by the military to help locate her.

"As Rania still remains missing, it is crucial that we go to the next stage and publicly appeal for information. If you believe you saw Rania after 7pm on 7th June 2013, we are keen to hear from you.''

Anyone with information on the movements of the white camper van should contact the Major Investigation Team on 0161 856 4711.

The two men accused of Ms Alayed's murder are due in court in October.