Elizabeth Ashbee. Police said a woman's body had been found

Rescuers searching for a missing paddler have found the body of a woman in Caernarfon Bay.

The discovery came on the third day of the search for 53-year-old Elizabeth Ashbee. Ms Ashbee’s red Avocet kayak was found on the beach at Morfa Nefyn on the Lleyn peninsular this morning.

Fellow members of the Shrewsbury Kayak Club had joined the search, which involved Holyhead RNLI all-weather lifeboat and two helicopters from RAF Valley along with a North Wales Police helicopter.

Coastguard Rescue Teams from Aberdaron, Porth Dinllaen and Llandwrog searched the coastline in Caernarvon Bay.

North Wales Police confirmed this evening that a woman’s body had been found at 5.28pm. A spokesperson said: “Formal Identification is not expected to take place this evening and we are not in a position to give any further details at present.”

Police and Coastguard had appealed to walkers to be on the alert for sightings of Ms Ashbee, who became separated from four companions in bad weather about 2.30pm on Sunday while heading through rocks near Rhosneigr.