Human remains discovered in woodland in south-west London following a wildfire have been identified as a woman who has been missing since 2019.

Mother-of-three Joanne Sheen, then aged 44, was last seen when she travelled from Fareham to Southampton with a friend on 5 December 2019.

Metropolitan Police officers were called to Padstow Walk in Feltham on 12 August after bones were discovered in an area of shrubland damaged by a fire the previous week.

A 56-year-old man from Southampton has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder and he remains in police custody.

Detectives in London have now handed the investigation over to Hampshire Police after the remains were identified as those of Sheen.

Sheen’s disappearance sparked a major police investigation, which the force described as “long and complex”.

Police said they had followed more than 4,000 lines of inquiry, taken more than 300 statements and carried out detailed searches at more than 10 addresses and on numerous vessels.

Det Ch Insp Toby Elcock, from the Major Crime Team, said: “While this tragic discovery is not the outcome Joanne’s family, or any of us, had hoped for, we hope the identification of her remains can at least begin to provide some answers after many years of uncertainty.

“Throughout this investigation, Joanne’s family have shown tremendous strength and dignity in the face of unimaginable circumstances, and our thoughts remain with them at this incredibly difficult time.

“As our investigation progresses, we remain committed to establishing exactly what happened to Joanne and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.”

He stressed that the police would still like to hear from anyone with information about Sheen’s disappearance.

London Fire Brigade was called on 5 August to a blaze that damaged about two hectares of shrubland in an area known as Bedfont Pits.

The human remains were discovered a week later, and a post-mortem examination suggested they had come from a woman aged between 25 and 45.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed the remains were found by a member of the public at the site close to Bedfont Lakes Country Park.

Crimestoppers has agreed to reinstate a £20,000 reward for information that supports the investigation.

Sheen was reported missing by her family in February 2020 – two months after she was last seen.

Several people were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder in 2020, but no charges were brought and the investigation remained unsolved.

Police previously said she did not have a permanent place of address, a vehicle or a bank account.