Headless Cockley Cley victim reburied

The remains of the headless body of a woman found on farmland in Norfolk more than 30 years ago will be re-buried next week.Detectives exhumed the body earlier this year and have reopened the case, which has been a mystery since the woman's trussed-up corpse was found at Cockley Cley, near Swaffham, in August 1974.

The remains of the headless body of a woman found on farmland in Norfolk more than 30 years ago will be re-buried next week.

Detectives exhumed the body earlier this year and have reopened the case, which has been a mystery since the woman's trussed-up corpse was found at Cockley Cley, near Swaffham, in August 1974.

The cold-case team have now released her remains, which will be reburied at an unmarked grave at Swaffham Cemetery on Tuesday.

Swaffham vicar the Rev John Smith said it would be “one of the saddest things” he has had to do, especially as it is still unclear who she was.

After the exhumation in April, a second post mortem examination was carried out before a forensic anthro-pologist from Cambridge University studied the bones and remains and gave detectives further information about the victim not available 34 years ago.

Detectives used the information and the latest DNA and forensic techniques to make a new appeal for help in identifying the victim, who is believed to have been aged between 23 and 35.

Some “interesting lines of inquiry” are being followed up.

A hotline has been set up for any information. Tel: 01953 424529 or 424533.