A MAN’S body has been found by police searching for a missing milkmaid and her brother.

Police have yet to identify the body of the man found hanging in woodland near New Moor Farm, at Walworth Gate, near Darlington.

However, it is believed to be that of Piotr Lawniczak, the brother of Danuta Domagalska, the 27-year-old Polish milkmaid who has not been seen since August 6. Mr Lawniczak, 31, went missing on Sunday after the farm’s owners, John and Susan Archer, began expressing concern about Mrs Domagalska’s whereabouts.

The discovery of the body came at about 3pm yesterday, as police began expanding their search after drafting in volunteers from Teesdale and Weardale Search and Rescue Team.

The body was found in a copse a few hundred metres from the farm by police divers, who had gone to investigate a pond in the woodland.

A formal identification is not expected until today.

Last night, Detective Superintendent Adrian Green, who is leading the investigation, said about 30 personnel were searching the farm and surrounding area, with dozens of officers carrying out inquiries elsewhere.

He said: “I would like to reassure members of the community that we are putting a lot of resources and effort into this incident.

“It is an isolated incident in what is a very beautiful and rural area.”

He said the search for Mrs Domagalska was ongoing and police were still speaking to her husband, Marcin.

He repeated his appeal for Mrs Domagalska or anyone who knows about her whereabouts to contact police.

Police yesterday issued new footage of her working in the milking parlour at the farm, which produces the awardwinning Archer’s Ice Cream.

The film was shot as part of a promotional video for the business.

Det Supt Green said: “Perhaps she is still alive and our inquiries are ongoing and we are looking everywhere for her.”

As part of the search, ponds and slurry pits on the farm are being drained. The search at the farm, which covers several hundred acres, is expected to continue until the end of the week.

Det Supt Green thanked Mr and Mrs Archer for their cooperation with the inquiry.

Mrs Domagalska had worked at New Moor farm since 2008 and lived with her husband and brother in a cottage on the farm estate.

She married Mr Domagalski on Christmas Day 2005 and they initially worked for a short time in Gloucester before coming to County Durham three years ago.

The couple have a five-yearold son, Kuba, who is being looked after by family members in their home town of Sieradz, near Lodz, in Poland.

It was revealed this week that neither of them spoke good English and relied heavily on Mr Lawniczak for translation and communication.

When Mrs Domagalska went missing on August 6, Mr Lawniczak convinced her husband she was working long hours at the milking parlour, which was why she had not returned home.

Yesterday, police said detectives were continuing to speak to Mr Domagalski through an interpreter. They had also informed the family in Poland about the body.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0345-6060-365 or Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111.