Sex-change drowning woman identified

The naked body of a woman weighed down with body building weights and found washed up on a Suffolk beach has been identified.

The body was found on Thursday morning on a beach at Kessingland, near Lowestoft, Suffolk.

Police said it was that of Christine Chappel, formerly Bryan Hooley, who had a sex-change operation in 1994.

The beach in Suffolk where the body was discovered

A post-mortem examination revealed she had drowned.

Ms Chappel was divorced and had a daughter.

She was identified on Saturday night using a police fingerprint data-base.

Neighbours at her home in St Michael's Drive, Roxwell, near Chelmsford, said Ms Chappel's relationship with her ex-wife Alison had ended a few months ago.

"She was very depressed," one neighbour said.

Police are continuing to treat the death as suspicious and are appealing for members of the public to come forward with any information.

Ms Chappel was last seen at her home by her ex-wife on 22 February.

Det Supt Adrian Braddy, of Suffolk police, appealed for anyone who knew Ms Chappel to contact the police immediately.

"We would particularly like to hear from anyone who saw Ms Chappel, formerly Bryan Hooley, on or after Tuesday, 22 February," he said.

Ms Chappel is believed to have been born in Perth, Australia, and studied electronic engineering at Salford University before moving to Essex.