Torched car belonged to missing vet

Oct 19 2012

A burned-out car found abandoned in a country lane belongs to missing vet Catherine Gowing, police have said.

Ms Gowing, 37, has been missing since she failed to arrive at work at the Evans Veterinary Practice in Mold, North Wales, on Monday.

North Wales Police said on Friday that a five-door Renault Clio found on Thursday night in Pinfold Lane, Alltami, near Mold, had been identified as the missing woman's car. The car was found at about 7.15pm on Thursday after a member of the public contacted police. It was around two miles from Ms Gowing's home in New Brighton, Flintshire.

Confirming the news, Detective Superintendent John Hanson appealed to anyone with information about Ms Gowing or the car to contact police immediately to help relieve "the pain that Catherine's friends and family are going through".

A 46-year-old man from Gwynedd remains in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of her murder on Tuesday night. Police were on Thursday granted a 36-hour extension to question the suspect, who is known to frequent the New Brighton area and is known to Ms Gowing.

Mr Hanson said reports that the suspect in custody was the boyfriend of Ms Gowing's housemate, also a vet from Ireland, was a "line of inquiry" the force is investigating.

He added that the cordon around the car will remain in place for some time as a "dynamic" search takes place.

"The Clio was found in an isolated area of Pinfold Lane, close to a disused quarry surrounded by woodland and near to the quarry pool," he said. "The vehicle is completely burnt-out. There are extensive North Wales Police resources, including some of our specialist resources like the dogs and the underwater search team."

Mr Hanson said specialist search teams were examining two other locations in North Wales which have not been identified.

The last recorded sighting of Ms Gowing was at a supermarket in Queensferry last Friday evening. She was wearing blue jeans, a light brown/khaki zip-up fleece top with white sleeves and white side panels, and plain black flat shoes. Her brown hair was tied up. She is about 5ft 10in, of slim, athletic build, and speaks with an Irish accent.