Kerri McAuley's mother Lesley lays flowers for Gaynor Lord

Lesley McAuley, whose daughter Kerri was killed at her Norwich home in 2017, said she had been closely following the search for the missing 55-year-old.

"My daughter Kerri was tragically and brutally murdered in 2017, she was beaten to death and things have never been the same,” she said.

Kerri McAuley pictured with her brother Rory (Image: McAuley Family)READ MORE: Rewalking the last known route before Gaynor Lord's disappearance

Lesley McAuley pictured with the flowers she and her friend, Annie Reilly, had laid at the scene (Image: Bruno Brown)

"I have been following the search for Gaynor has brought up some terrible upsetting memories and sadness.

"These feelings made me feel so broken and emotional listening to the search because I totally empathise with how families will be feeling.

Picture of Kerri McAuley. (Image: Archant)Lesley McAuley's friend, Annie Reilly, laying flowers outside of Wensum Park (Image: Bruno Brown)READ MORE: Gaynor Lord's former colleague describes her as 'fun' and 'assured'

"I have two grandchildren without a mother, so this is so heartbreaking that there are three children who now have to live the rest of their lives without their mum.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the family. I don’t know what to say. It’s just mortifying."

Mrs McAuley was with her friend Annie Reilly, 57, who was also laying a bouquet and said the search for Gaynor was a "tragedy".

Meanwhile clergy at the cathedral - which was a major focus of the search in its early stages - issued a statement. 

The Dean of Norwich, the Very Revd Dr Andrew Braddock, said: “Following the latest updates from the police searching for Gaynor Lord, the thoughts and prayers of Norwich Cathedral remain with all her family and friends at this most distressing time.

“As always, the Cathedral is open as a place for people to come and reflect, pray or light a candle.”

Friday morning a body was removed from the Wensum close to St Martins Close in Norwich.

Police had focused their search for Gaynor on the river in Wensum Park after items belonging to the mother-of-three were found at the site.

In a press conference at Wensum Park, Ch Supt Buckley said specialist divers found the body of a female in the River Wensum after a "detailed and methodical search".

He added: "While this is not the outcome we wished for, our search has always predominantly focused on the river and the park."

CCTV footage shows the final known movements of missing woman Gaynor Lord on St Augustine Street - half a mile from Wensum Park (Image: Norfolk Police)

Gaynor Lord pictured on CCTV at Jarrolds on the Friday she went missing (Image: Norfolk Police)