Welsh police have confirmed that a body they found is that of Irish veterinarian Catherine Gowing who had been missing for more than three weeks.

A man has been arrested in her disappearance.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Pierce said: “The postmortem confirmed our fears and the results have been passed to Catherine’s family.

“The search continues for further remains and any other evidence which will assist this investigation.”

Ms Gowing (37), from Offaly, disappeared on Friday, October 12th, after coming out of a supermarket. Her burned out car was found a few days later.

Catherine's body was found on Wednesday at a shallow pool. Her local parish priest in Offaly said everyone in her home area was traumatized.

Fr Michael O’Meara said, “We’ve been through a very traumatic time here now. This comes as a great shock despite the fact that hope was fading for Catherine. This news is hard to comprehend.”

During the search, her sister Emma Gowing said her sister was a “kind, sensitive, beautiful person who is passionate about animals and utterly devoted to her family. She is the light of my life and the light of my parents’ life.”

Local politician Marcella Corcoran-Kennedy said the family would be relieved, “They were hoping that she would be found and that they could bring her home and begin to have some closure on it,” she said.

“Her parents are gentle, kind people. It has been such an appalling shock to them. For one of their children not to come home must be their worst nightmare.”