The body of a woman was found on Saturday evening by police involved in the search for missing senior Janet Niklaus.

Officers made the discovery near Rockaway Lane, Southampton. The identity of the person has not yet been determined.

Gary Moreno, the Bermuda Police Service’s corporate communications manager, said that at about 6.30pm on Saturday — acting on information received — police, including a canine unit, attended the Vesey Nature Reserve to carry out a search for Ms Niklaus, 70.

The BPS said: “During the search, the lifeless body of a female was discovered in an overgrown area off of Rockaway Lane, Southampton.

“The identity of the victim has not yet been determined and the circumstances regarding the incident are unknown at this time.”

Anyone who lives in the area and who may have seen “unusual activity” in the past 72 hours was asked to call police on 295-0011, 211 or to provide information via the community reporting portal at portal.police.bm.

Mr Moreno added: “You may also provide the information to a police officer whom you know.”

He said no information could be provided about the age of the woman found because her identity was not yet confirmed.

Mr Moreno said more information would be provided when it became available and as the BPS could share it.

Searches have taken place across the island since Ms Niklaus went missing on August 30, when she was seen at about 8am near Whale Bay Road, Southampton.