Detectives searching for missing midwife Samantha Eastwood have found a body, police have said.

The discovery was made at about midday on Saturday within the police cordon in place near to Caverswall. 

A 32-year-old man who had previously been arrested by Staffordshire Police in connection with the 28-year-old’s disappearance has been re-arrested on suspicion of murder.

The force said two other men, aged 28 and 60, have been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Detective Superintendent Simon Duffy from the force’s Major and Organised Crime Department said: “The discovery today is not what anyone wanted, and this is now a homicide investigation.” 

Forensic teams remain at the scene near Caverswall, Staffordshire, and will remain there for some time.

Police said the body has yet to be formally identified and a post-mortem will take place in due course.

Eastwood was last seen in her uniform leaving work at Royal Stoke Hospital at 7.45am on Friday July 27.

Her colleagues raised concerns at 7.20pm on the same day after she failed to show up for her next shift.