Decomposed body of Briton who vanished is discovered buried under rocks in Spain

The body of a British woman has been found buried under rocks at a remote picnic spot near Spain's Costa Blanca.

Civil Guards discovered Patricia Heard's remains at the popular stop- off next to a rural road inland from the tourist resorts of Benidorm and Javea.

Mrs Heard, 58, from Bedworth, Warwickshire, was reported missing in July 2006 shortly after emigrating to Oliva in the neighbouring province of Valencia with husband Allen, 63.

The gruesome find came just a week after pensioner Mr Heard appeared in court in the UK charged with her murder.

Civil Guards discovered Mrs Heard's remains after being handed a map by British police pinpointing her final resting place.

A Warwickshire Police team travelled to Spain earlier this week with the map, thought to have been sketched by Mr Heard during a police interview before he was charged.

A spokesman for the Civil Guard in Alicante said: 'Officers found Mrs Heard's body at 6.30pm on Monday.

'It was buried under rocks by a tree next to a picnic spot along a rural road between the municipalites of Vall D'Alcala and Vall d'Ebo.

'The discovery has been the result of cooperation between Spanish Civil Guards and British police." Mrs Heard emigrated with her husband in early 2006.

Her bank account had remained untouched and her phone switched off since her disappearance.

Devastated daughter Linda Jones made a heartfelt appeal for information on her whereabouts after her mum, a popular members of her local ladies' darts team, vanished.

She said at the time: 'She has missed two grandchildren's birthdays - that's the bit I can't get over.

'I just can't see why she's done that.

'I know even if she did not want to talk to us, if she were fully compos mentis I know we would have had a postcard to say she was alright.'

Mr Heard appeared before Nuneaton magistrates on August 4.  He was remanded in custody to appear at Warwick Crown Court on August 15, charged with Mrs Heard's murder as well as perverting the course of justice.

The spot where the expat's body was found is about an hour's drive from the Costa Blanca.

It is popular with hillwalkers and tourist daytrippers keen to see the area's ancient Moorish settlements.