A body washed up on the Donegal coast is believed to be that of a missing County Tyrone mother of three, it was confirmed tonight.
Gardai said they found Mrs Brigid Bradshaw's body near Ards Forest across the bay from Downings in Donegal after an extensive search. Sgt James Trearty of Milford station in the county said: "Naturally enough the family is distraught. "In all of these search operations we all hope for a very successful outcome. Unfortunately it would appear that at this stage the body that washed up is that of Brigid Bradshaw."
An air and land search operation for the 34-year-old dentist from Omagh, who practices under her maiden name Goodman, was launched after she was reported missing to the PSNI by her husband, David.
Mrs Bradshaw, who has three children under the age of five, was last seen after leaving a hotel in the Downings area of Donegal at around 6 a.m. on Monday.
The dentist, who hails originally from west Belfast, left her home in Omagh on Sunday to attend a funeral in Strabane. She then travelled on to the Downings area in the neighbouring county. She parked the car on the pier and then went to the local hotel, where she was last seen on Monday morning.
Mr Bradshaw and other members of his family had joined around 30 local volunteers and the Mulroy Coastguard and Cliff Rescue, who employed divers and a helicopter, in their efforts to find the missing woman.
The body was taken to Letterkenny Hospital, however, the remains have not yet been officially identified. However, the PSNI said officers believed the body was that of Mrs Bradshaw and nothing untoward had been reported about the death.
PA