A body has been found in the search for a woman who vanished while out walking her dog in a mountain range, police said on Thursday.
Ausra Plungiene from Prestatyn, North Wales, was last seen on Tuesday around 10.30am, when she is believed to have left for a walk with her dog Eyora, but didn't return home.
A search across Eryri national park was organised by North Wales Police on Wednesday, after the 56-year-old's car was found in a remote car park on around 10pm on Tuesday, reports the Mirror.
Mountain rescue team members found a woman's body near Yr Aryg in the Carneddau mountain range on Thursday morning, according to police. Ms Plungiene's family has been informed, although formal identification has yet to take place, with a dog found alive at the location.
Superintendent Owain Llewelyn said: "I would like to offer my thanks to all involved in the search for Ausra, in what have been extremely difficult weather conditions. Finally, I would appeal for Ausra's family to be afforded some privacy during the coming days."
Search teams worked through snow and gale force winds during the search. Ausra's daughter, Toma Plungauite Lamb, made a heart-wrenching appeal to the public to try and trace her. She described her mother as "the most beautiful soul, who would do anything for anyone".
Ausra's disappearance came as temperatures plunged to almost 0C overnight, during yellow weather warning for wind, rain and snow on higher ground, across Wales. However, police did say she was an experienced mountain walker and "well equipped for the conditions".
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