New appeal in car murder inquiry

Paula Poolton had been missing for 11 days when her body was found

Police investigating the death of a woman found stabbed to death in the boot of her car in Hampshire want to trace some of her personal possessions.

The body of Paula Poolton, 40, of Titchfield, Fareham, was found in her Peugeot 206 close to Swanwick railway station on 28 October.

Police said they had yet to trace her house and car keys, and her left flip-flop was missing.

They said the items could provide vital forensic evidence.

Police appealed to anyone who found the items to pick them up "by an edge or corner and note the details of where they were found".

Ms Poolton had been missing for 11 days when her body was discovered.

Two men, aged 52 and 55 and from the Fareham area, were arrested on suspicion of her murder and released on bail.

Keys similar to Paul Poolton's house and car keys

Her house key was on a blue dolphin-shaped key fob with a Peugeot car key

Det Ch Insp Darren O'Callaghan said: "We have had a very positive response from the public coming forward with information, but now we need their help again."

He said finding the missing items "may help us piece together Paula's final movements".

It is believed that her Yale house key was on a blue plastic dolphin-shaped key fob, along with a Peugeot car key and a miniature Tesco Club Card.

Mr O'Callaghan said they were still trying to establish Ms Poolton's movements between Friday 17 October and Tuesday 28 October.

She was last seen on CCTV footage shopping in Tesco, Bursledon, at about 2130 BST on 17 October.

Police say there could be vital forensic evidence on missing items

"We also need to hear from anyone who saw her car - a black Peugeot 206 registration HK54 KHH - between those dates," he said.

One week ago, Ms Poolton's parents, Jen and Phil Cross, paid tribute to their daughter, describing her as a "bubbly, crazy chick with an infectious laugh".

They said they had searched car parks looking for her car when she went missing.

"I don't think we can believe she's gone," Mrs Cross said.