POLICE investigating the murder of missing Jobcentre worker Joanne Nelson last night found a body concealed in woodland.

The body was discovered a mile north of the village of Brandsby, near Easingwold, North Yorkshire.

Miss Nelson, 22, was reported missing from her home in Hull on Valentine's Day, and a search has been under way since then.

Miss Nelson's fiance, Paul Dyson, 30, has since appeared in court charged with her murder on or around February 13 "at a place unknown".

A spokeswoman for Humber Police said it could be some time before the body is formally identified.

Late last night, it was taken from the scene to a mortuary in Hull where a post-mortem examination is due to be carried out this morning.

Miss Nelson's parents, Jean and Charlie, have been informed.

The body was found at 4pm yesterday by Detective Superintendent Ray Higgins, the man who has been leading the investigation, and Detective Constable Phil Gadd.

Acting on information, the police were searching for a certain type of soil where the body may have been dumped, together with an area where western hemlock and birch trees grow together.

Landowners were urged to look out for an area where a tubular steel gate, possibly with green bottles next to it, could be found just off a road.

The police spokeswoman said that the two detectives were carrying out interviews about the forthcoming weekend searches when they happened to spot a gate, off the B1363, near Brandsby.

"The gate fitted the description of the one police had been looking for," she said.

"They looked further and that is when they came across the concealed body."

Officers have sealed off the area and were preparing to carry out a fingertip search of the hilly terrain over the Easter weekend.

At the time of her disappearance, Jean Nelson said that her daughter had idolised her fiance, Mr Dyson, and was looking forward to getting married next year.

The couple lived together at Hotham Road North, Hull.

She said: "She is an active girl who enjoyed sports at school and loves going for walks in the countryside.

"Joanne is a loving, homely girl.

"She is kind, considerate and a popular girl.

"She is very close to all her family and she wouldn't do anything to upset us. Her disappearance is very out of character."

The search for Miss Nelson's body was about to enter the sixth weekend.

More than 60 police officers and special constables have been joined by Army volunteers, divers and special search and rescue teams in the major search, covering hundreds of miles of countryside in East and North Yorkshire.

Last week, a black handbag, which police believed belonged to Miss Nelson, was found less than a mile away from her home, near a railway line.

* Mr Dyson, a wood machinist, was remanded in custody by a judge at Hull Crown Court last month.

He is due to appear in court on May 4.