Search for missing woman concludes after body found in car in undergrowth near the Cleveland Tontine

The search for a missing woman in Yorkshire has concluded after police found a body inside a car down an embankment.

North Yorkshire Police were called by a member of the public on August 18 after they noticed a black vehicle had come to rest in undergrowth down an embankment on the A172 at its junction with the A19 near the Cleveland Tontine.

The sole occupant of the vehicle had died, police said.

While formal identification is yet to take place, officers believe the deceased to be missing Tracey Smith from the Stokesley area.

The road was closed and remained closed for most of the day.

The closure was to allow investigators to examine the scene and to recover the vehicle.

Due to the location of the vehicle, forensic examination and recovery took longer than usual, police said.

The road reopened on Wednesday.

In a statement, police said: “Our thanks go to members of the public who responded to appeals for help to find Tracey, including the person who called in after noticing a vehicle in the undergrowth.

“An investigation will be carried out to determine how the car came to leave the road.

“Our thoughts are with Tracey’s family and friends at this very sad time.”