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Human remains found in septic tank could be those of farmer's wife who disappeared in 1982

Quaking Farm, Kempsey, Worcestershire, where human remains were reportedly found at the rear of the property.  July 17, 2019.  Human remains have been discovered in a village just a few miles from where police have been searching for murdered estate agent Suzy Lamplugh.  See SWNS story SWMDbones.  Officers were called to Bestman's Lane, in Kempsey, Worcs., after human bones were found at around 4.30pm on Friday (12/7).  The site is around seven miles from Pershore, where searches are ongoing for evidence connected to the disappearance of the 25-year-old who went missing 19 years ago.  West Mercia Police has so far refused to rule out a link between the discovery of the bones and Suzy's murder while a post mortem is being carried out.  Detectives say they are treating it as an unexplained death and all lines of inquiry are being explored.
Human remains found at a property in Kempsey, Worcestershire are believed to be those of Brenda Venables, who disappeared more than 30 years ago (Picture: SWNS)

Human remains discovered by maintenance workers in the bottom of a septic tank are believed to be those of a farmer’s wife who went missing 37 years ago.

The remains were found at Quaking House Farm on Bestmans Lane in Kempsey, Worcestershire last week and were initially thought to be connected to the search for murdered estate agent Suzy Lamplugh, who disappeared in 1986.

But police have ruled out the connection and now neighbours think the remains are those of Brenda Venables, who disappeared from her home in Kempsey in 1982, aged 48.

Newspaper clipping from the Worcester News reporting Brenda Venables disappearance in 1982. Human bones have been found in a septic tank in a house that used to belong to farmer David Veanables - 37 years after his went Brenda went missing. See SWNS story SWMDbones. Human bones found at the bottom of a septic tank are believed to belong to a farmer’s wife who went missing 37 years ago. Brenda Venables disappeared in 1982 aged 48 from her home in the village of Kempsey, Worcs. Maintenance workers found human remains last Friday (12/7) at Quaking House Farm on Bestmans Lane - where Mrs Venables and her husband David used to live. The discovery was initially thought to be connected to the search for murdered estate agent Suzy Lamplugh in nearby Pershore but police ruled it out.
Maintenance workers found human remains at Quaking House Farm on Bestmans Lane - where Mrs Venables and her husband David used to live (Picture: SWNS)

Her husband David, now 86, sold the farmhouse for £467,000 in 2014 and now lives in a bungalow a mile away.

Speaking at the time of his wife’s disappearance, he told his local newspaper: “I just woke up to find that she had gone.

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“She has never done anything like this before and I haven’t the faintest idea what has happened to her.”

He said his wife had been suffering from depression and a bout of flu and added: “I have been unable to sleep a wink since she left and I can only hope and pray she is safe.”

Suzy Lamplugh.  See SWNS story SWMDsuzy.  Officers were seen digging in a field just off the B4084  just outside Drakes Broughton, Worcs., in the hope of finding the remains of Suzy who went missing in 1986 aged 25.  The news comes after police dug up the garden of a Sutton Coldfield, West Mids., house previously owned by the mother of John Cannan, the prime suspect in Suzy’s presumed murder, in October and November 2018.
The remains were initially thought to be those of Suzy Lamplugh, who went missing in 1986 aged 25 (Picture: SWNS)

When he was approached by reporters about the discovery of human remains at this former home, Mr Venables said: “I have nothing to say on the matter.”

One unnamed villager in Kempsey said: “Nobody ever seemed to know what happened to her.

“She went missing one night - the family have never had closure.”

David Venables, now 86, gave no comment on reports the human remains at his former home are those of his wife (Picture: SWNS)
David Venables, now 86, gave no comment on reports the human remains at his former home are those of his wife (Picture: SWNS)

West Mercia Police say it could take weeks before the remains are formally identified.

Superintendent Damian Pettit said: “We are conducting a very thorough investigation and have multiple lines of enquiry to explore and one of which is into the disappearance of a woman from Kempsey that was launched in 1982.

“Until we have formal identification we are not in a position to link the remains to any particular person at this stage.”

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