Car boot murder lake search ends

Mrs Poolton's husband was arrested and later released without charge

Police investigating the murder of a woman found stabbed to death in the boot of her car last year have completed a search of a Hampshire lake.

Paula Poolton, 40, of Titchfield in Fareham, was found in her Peugeot 206 near Swanwick railway station on 28 October, 11 days after going missing.

Divers have spent four days searching for some of her missing belongings in a lake at Burridge, near Fareham.

Police said they were unable to reveal if anything was found in the lake.

Mrs Poolton's widower, Ricky, 53, who was arrested in October, was told in March that he faced no charges.

Specialist divers from Avon and Somerset Police began their search on Monday.

Crimewatch appeal

The lake was one of several sites of interest identified during the course of the investigation, police said.

Officers are still trying to locate some of Mrs Poolton's property including a black flip flop, red Samsung E-900 mobile phone and the keys to her Peugeot 206.

Det Ch Insp Darren O'Callaghan said: "I understand that there is a huge amount of public interest in this case and people will naturally want to know if we found anything in the lake.

"Unfortunately, due to operational reasons, I am unable to go into those sorts of details.

"What I can say though, is we have several new lines of inquiry to follow after our appeal on Crimewatch last week."

The case was featured on the BBC programme earlier this month in a bid to find rail passengers travelling through Swanwick station on 17 October, the last day that Paula was seen alive.

Nearly 40 people could be seen on the station's CCTV.

The force said it received 25 calls from members of the public as a result of the programme.

Mrs Poolton was also captured on CCTV at Tesco supermarket in Bursledon at 0930 BST on 17 October, wearing a distinctive white coat with black stitching.