Remains are found in a riverbed in hunt for missing British pensioner, 79

Police searching for a missing British pensioner in Cyprus have found human remains in a river bed.

Ann Naisbitt, 79, was last seen leaving the home she shared with her son in Paphos city more than a month ago on April 3.

But police said today that human remains they found on Sunday have been identified as belonging to Naisbitt after genetic testing.

The Briton’s skull was found on Sunday in a rural area, between the villages of Koloni and Marathousta, by a local farmer who called the police.

Officers who searched the nearby area then found bones, clothing and other items in the bottom of a nearby river.

Police spokesman Christos Andreou told CyBC channel CyBC that a family member had identified the clothing as belonging to Naisbitt.

Naisbitt suffered from dementia, Cypriot mail reports, but the police have now opened an investigation to rule out the possibility of foul play.

The pensioner was last seen around 10am on April 3 as she left her home in Paphos, which she shared with her son Lee.

A friend of the family, Jean Ivell, told local media at the time that Naisbitt suffered from dementia and went missing in March before being tracked down by Lee.

A spokesman for the British Foreign Office told MailOnline: “We are supporting the family of the British woman who died in Cyprus and are in contact with local authorities.”