Remains found in search for woman murdered by husband 12 years ago

Police searching for the body of Rania Alayed, who was murdered by her husband 12 years ago, have found human remains.

Ahmed Al-Khatib was jailed for murdering the mother-of-three in 2013 in a planned "honour killing" in Salford, but her body was never found.

New information led officers to return to search for the 25-year-old near the A19 in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, on Monday, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.

Remains have been discovered buried there, which police "strongly suspect" is Ms Alayed, the force added.

In June 2014, Al-Khatib, from Gorton, was found guilty of her murder and sentenced to life with a minimum of 20 years imprisonment.

GMP said while no official identification had taken place Ms Alayed's family had been informed of the find.

Ms Alayed's son Yazan said the discovery had "come as a surreal surprise to me and my family".

"Being able to provide a final resting place is all we have wanted," he said.

"To have the ability to lay down a few flowers for my mother is more than I can ask for from this world."

Ms Alayed had suffered years of abuse at the hands of Al-Khatib, his trial heard.

Jurors were told that he murdered his wife in a "pre-planned honour killing" because he believed she had become too westernised and was "establishing an independent life".

Sentencing judge, Mr Justice Leggatt, told him: "The contempt you showed for Rania in death matched the contempt of how you treated her in life".

Det Ch Insp Neil Higginson said: "More than a decade after her murder, we now strongly believe we have located Rania's body and are finally able to provide closure to her family, who we know have endured so much pain and grief over the years.

"Her murder was utterly horrific and not knowing where her body is has inflicted further pain to all those who knew her."

The search for Ms Alayed's body has been focused on the A19 lay-by in recent years after one of Al-Khatib's brothers told police she had been buried there.

Officers have combed the area on several occasions.

After receiving new information, officers located buried human remains by the A19 on Tuesday, GMP said.