Remains found in search for woman murdered in 2013

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

Ahmed Al-Khatib is serving a life sentence for killing the mother-of-three 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 in prison with a minimum term of 20 years.

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

Her 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, formerly of Norton on Teesside before moving to Greater Manchester, 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".

The trial heard Al-Khatib then began an elaborate deception, with CCTV showing him wearing a headscarf in an attempt to pass himself off as Ms Alayed.

He messaged and texted her friends and family trying to convince them she was still alive.

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

He 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."

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.

Muhaned Al Khatib, of Salford, admitted perverting the course of justice by transporting and concealing Ms Alayed's body and was given a three-year sentence.

A third brother, Hussain Al-Khatib, of Gorton, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice and jailed for four years.

Officers have combed the A19 area on several occasions but the force said after receiving new information officers located buried human remains there on Tuesday.

A cordon will remain at the scene in the coming days, police added.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.