Police are investigating the possibility that a badly decomposed girl's body found in the River Kent could be that of a troubled teenager from Warrington.

The body of the girl was found by a member of the public near Force Bridge, at Sedgwick, south of Kendal, on February 4, in the aftermath of severe flooding.

Police divers have repeatedly immersed themselves in the cold dark waters to comb the riverbed for clues.

This week, investigators from Cheshire police sectioned off a large area of riverbank for a fingertip search for anything that might identify the body.

As the Gazette went to press, both Cumbria and Cheshire police were awaiting DNA test results that will enable them to identify the body. Those results could be ready as soon as today (Friday).

Seventeen-year-old Shafilea Ahmed left her Warrington home during the night of September 11 last year and no-one has heard from her since.

She is the only missing person on Cheshire police files who matches the description of the body in the river and no other police forces have visited the site.

Police family liaison officers from Cheshire police contacted Miss Ahmed's parents this week, when Iftikhar and Farzana Ahmed identified jewellery found with the body as similar to that their daughter would wear.

The body was described as aged 17-23, slim, 5ft 2ins tall, and a size three stiletto shoe was found with it.

Miss Ahmed was 17 when she went missing, slim, 5ft 3ins tall and wore size three or four shoes.

A year ago Miss Ahmed went to Pakistan with her parents for a family wedding. While there, she is believed to have drunk bleach, allegedly in protest at an arranged marriage proposal.

When she returned, she required regular medical treatment to allow her to swallow liquids.

Miss Ahmed had only just started her AS level studies when she disappeared. She was considered to be a bright and conscientious student and was hoping to become a lawyer.

Initially, Cumbria police described the body as white but Miss Ahmed's family were originally from Pakistan.

A forensic scientist told the Gazette a body's appearance could change when submerged for a long time.

Dr Jenny Hallcroft, a forensic anthropologist from the University of Central Lancashire, said it was possible a badly decomposed dark-skinned body in a poor state could be mistaken for a white one.

Despite the similarities, neither Cumbria nor Cheshire police could confirm her identity until the DNA tests were complete.

No cause of death could be ascertained, according to Detective Inspector Mike Forrester, who is leading the investigation, because of the state of the body.

The dead woman was wearing white or cream trousers, a grey Jodie Jo T-shirt and a grey woollen cardigan. Jewellery was also found at the scene including a gold bracelet and blue Topaz ring.

Anyone with any information should call Kendal police on 01539-722611.