A body found in a cemetery over the weekend is that of missing teaching assistant Lindsay Birbeck, police have confirmed.

The 47-year-old’s body was discovered at Accrington Cemetery on Saturday, almost two weeks after she was last seen.

A post-mortem concluded that she was strangled, Lancashire Constabulary said.

In a statement, the force said officers were aware of “rumours circulating on social media” about Ms Birbeck’s death but urged people not to speculate as this is causing her loved ones “significant additional distress at what is clearly an extremely difficult time”.

“We can now sadly confirm that the body found at Accrington Cemetery at the weekend is that of missing teaching assistant Lindsay Birbeck,” the statement said.

“Burnley Road detectives launched a murder inquiry. A post-mortem examination has been conducted and shows that Lindsay died as a result of compression of the neck.”

The victim’s family continue to be supported by family liaison officers, detectives said.

Ms Birkbeck, 47, was last seen on CCTV walking in Accrington on 12 August.

Her Huawei mobile phone is still missing, officers said.

A large team of detectives, uniformed officers and staff are “working round the clock” on the case, reviewing CCTV and making house-to-house inquiries as they try to piece together what happened to her.

No arrests have been made yet.

Detective Superintendent Andy Cribbin, from the force’s major investigation team, said: “I need to find out where Lindsay has gone after she was last seen on CCTV on Burnley Road at just after 4pm on 12 August and what has happened to her.

“I would continue to appeal for anyone with CCTV, especially in the area of Peel Park Avenue, to come forward and I would also like to speak to anyone who thinks they saw Lindsay, or anyone matching her description, or who saw anything suspicious in that area on the afternoon or evening of 12 August to come and speak to us.

“I would also like to speak to anyone who has seen anything suspicious in or around the cemetery area after 12 August or anyone who has any drone footage or dashcam footage which could assist.”

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