Human remains of a mother-of-three who vanished nearly seven years ago have been found in London following a wildfire as police arrest a man as part of a murder investigation.

The Metropolitan Police were called on the evening of August 12 after bones, thought to belong to a woman aged between 25 and 45, were found by a member of the public near Padstow Walk in Feltham after the area was affected by a blaze.

A murder investigation was launched but Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary have now taken over the investigation after the remains were identified as those of Joanne Sheen.

Ms Sheen, 44, had not been seen since she travelled from Fareham, Hampshire, heading to her home city of Southampton, on December 5, 2019. 

She was reported missing by her family in February 2020, after they had not heard from her for several months.

A 56-year-old man from Southampton was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder on Thursday, and remains in police custody.

The discovery came after extensive forensic examination and DNA testing of the remains.

On September 3, 2020, Joanne’s daughters Layla and Hayley, who were 22 and 25 at the time, went on ITV Meridian and made an emotional public appeal for help to find her.

Joanne Sheen, 44, had not been seen since she travelled from Fareham, Hampshire, heading to her home city of Southampton, on December 5, 2019

Police near to the scene, where the human remains of Ms Sheen were found in woodland in Feltham, south-west London

The remains were found by a member of the public after the nearby land was affected by a recent wildfire

They said it was not out of character for Joanne to occasionally not make contact with her family for some weeks, but as time went by they became increasingly concerned.

In November 2020, police revealed they believed Joanne was a sex worker in Southampton around the time she went missing. 

Officers have combed the streets where she was believed to have worked, a nearby river and woodland in a bid to uncover anything but were unable to locate Ms Sheen.

A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary spokesperson since her disappearance, said that more than 4,000 lines of enquiry have been raised, more than 300 statements taken, and detailed searches carried out at more than 10 addresses and on numerous vessels.

Specialist teams have also searched waterways and woodland around Southampton. 

The spokesperson added: ‘As part of our investigation, we have today arrested a 56-year-old man from Southampton on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder. 

‘He remains in custody at this time as our enquiries continue.

‘As our investigation enters this next stage, we are working closely with our colleagues in the Metropolitan Police to establish exactly what happened to Joanne.

‘Her death is being treated as murder, and we remain committed to identifying and bringing those responsible to justice.’

Detective Chief Inspector Toby Elcock, from the major crime team, said: ‘This is a significant development in what has been a long and complex investigation and provides us with several new lines of enquiry, which we are exploring with our dedicated team.

‘While this tragic discovery is not the outcome Joanne’s family, or any of us, had hoped for, we hope the identification of her remains can at least begin to provide some answers after many years of uncertainty.

‘Throughout this investigation, Joanne’s family have shown tremendous strength and dignity in the face of unimaginable circumstances, and our thoughts remain with them at this incredibly difficult time.

‘As our investigation progresses, we remain committed to establishing exactly what happened to Joanne and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.

‘There may still be people who have information about Joanne’s disappearance, her movements before she went missing, or how she came to be in Feltham.

‘The passage of time does not lessen the importance of that information. No matter how small or insignificant it may seem, we would urge anyone who may know something to come forward.

‘We understand that coming forward may feel difficult, particularly if you are worried about the consequences, but we are asking you to think about the family who are left without their loved one and who are waiting for answers. Please do the right thing. If you know something, now is the time to come forward.

‘We are also pleased that Crimestoppers has agreed to reinstate its £20,000 reward offer in support of our investigation. If anyone has information but does not feel comfortable speaking directly to police, I would encourage them to contact Crimestoppers anonymously.’

A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed that the remains were found by a member of the public after the nearby land was affected by a recent wildfire.

The site is close to Bedfont Lakes Country Park.

This is a breaking news story. More to follow