Bodies Found In Lake 'Are Missing Mother And Daughter'

Post mortem examinations have revealed the two bodies recovered from a lake in the Cotswolds are those of a missing florist and her daughter, who died from drowning.

A specialist team of police divers found the bodies of a young girl and an adult female during their search for missing celebrity florist Jude Richmond and her nine-year-old daughter Millie.

Post-mortems confirmed the pair had drowned, and police said the deaths are still being treated as unexplained.

Mrs Richmond, 41, Millie Whitehead-Richmond, who has cerebral palsy, went missing from their lakeside home in South Cerney, near Cirencester, Gloucestershire, at the weekend.

Millie's father Neil Whitehead, who lives in London, made an emotional appeal to his ex-partner to get in touch after they were last seen at around 6.30pm on Sunday.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Wasley, officer-in-charge of the case, said: "At this moment in time we remain open-minded as to the circumstances of these deaths and are exploring a number of lines of enquiry to ascertain exactly what happened.

"A team of officers are analysing the forensic evidence, talking to all those who entered and exited the estate over the weekend and examining CCTV, mobile phone telephony and computer records.

"A detailed forensic search of the house and surrounding area is continuing to take place today and while we understand this may cause some disruption to neighbours we hope they will understand the necessity of such activity."

Officers said they were waiting to speak to 41-year-old Mrs Richmond's husband, Nick, who was flying back to the UK from New Zealand.

Detectives now believe that the reported sighting of the pair with a man at the gates of their estate in fact took place between 5pm and 5.15pm on Saturday, rather than Sunday as originally stated.

The man was white, in his 40s, around 6ft tall with broad shoulders, and had dark blonde spiky hair.

It is thought the 41-year-old, who ran a florist business with clients including royalty and celebrities, was vulnerable and possibly depressed.

(JM/BMcC)