Accrington Cemetery murder: police confirm body found is Lindsay Birkbeck

Lindsay, 47, went missing from her home in Huncoat, near Accrington, on Monday, August 12 and later that day was recorded on CCTV on Burnley Road in Huncoat.

Officers have now confirmed that a woman's body found in Accrington Cemetery on Burnley Road on Saturday evening is Lindsay.

They confirmed that a post mortem showed Lindsay had died as a result of "compression of the neck", and a murder investigation is now underway.

Police urged people not to speculate about the circumstances of Lindsay's death on social media, and said that rumours circulating online were "causing her loved ones significant additional distress".

Detectives are carrying out a review of CCTV, doing house to house enquiries, and trying to piece together what happened to Lindsay after she was captured on CCTV on Burnley Road, just after 4pm on Monday, August 12.

Lindsay was last seen wearing a purple Rab bubble jacket, black leggings, a white shirt with blue pin stripes and black trainers with a white sole.

Police want to fine her Huawei mobile phone which is also missing.

Detective Supt Andy Cribbin, from the Force Major Investigation Team, is leading the inquiry.

He said: “This is a fast moving inquiry and I have a team of detectives and staff working around the clock to try and find out what has happened to Lindsay and to identify who has killed her.

“I would like to thank the community for their response to our appeals so far and to continue to urge anyone who has any information which could assist us to come forward.

“I need to find out where Lindsay has gone after she was last seen on CCTV on Burnley Road at just after 4pm on August 12th and what has happened to her.

"I would continue to appeal for anyone with CCTV, especially in the area of Peel Park Avenue, to come forward and I would also like to speak to anyone who thinks they saw Lindsay, or anyone matching her description, or who saw anything suspicious in that area on the afternoon or evening of August 12th to come and speak to us.

“I would also like to speak to anyone who has seen anything suspicious in or around the cemetery area after August 12th or anyone who has any drone footage or dashcam footage which could assist.

“Please come forward with any information, no matter how insignificant you may think it is as it could help provide the answers Lindsay’s family desperately need.”

Anyone with information to submit it through the major crime web portal at https://mipp.police.uk/operation/0401020119E06-PO1

Alternatively call police on 101 quoting log number 0824 of August 26th or independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.