Police investigating the disappearance of student Sally Geeson, who vanished early on New Year’s day after a night out in Cambridge, have found a woman's body.

The announcement came after officers were reported to be searching an area near the American Military Cemetery at Madingley, several miles outside Cambridge.

Miss Geeson, 22, vanished in the early hours of New Year’s day after drinking at a pub in the city. She had been celebrating with friends, but became separated from them.

A number of messages were sent from her mobile phone between 1.30am and 2am on January 1. One text said she was getting a car with "someone". Another appealed simply: "Please help me".

Her bank and credit card accounts have not been touched since her disappearance, and her family said that it was out of character for her to stay out of touch for more than few hours.

A police spokeswoman declined to say why the search had narrowed in on the cemetery, but said that Miss Geeson’s family, who come from Southend, Essex, had been told of the developments.

"Forensic teams and senior detectives together with a forensic pathologist are currently at the scene," said a police spokeswomen.

Sally Geeson had been due to start her final exams in forensic science at Anglia Polytechnic University in Cambridge next week.

She shared a student house in Cambridge and had been celebrating the new year with friends. Witnesses say that she was in The Avery pub between midnight and 1am. Another witness has told detectives that he saw her visit a nearby takeaway to buy chips at around 1am.

Earlier today Miss Geeson’s identical twin Julie posed for photographs outside the Avery, in the hopes of jogging the memory of potential witnesses.

"We are just living through hell. Day-to-day. We never sleep. It’s very very difficult," her mother said.

Julie said that her twin was a talented student who was hopeful of getting a first class degree and had not been unduly worried about her forthcoming examinations.

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