Police have found a missing woman safe and well, hours after launching a murder investigation over her disappearance.

Katarzyna Zych, 37, was located in the Portsmouth area of Hampshire.

Katarzyna, known as Kat, was reported missing to Dorset Police at around 8.45pm on Sunday December 16.

Her last confirmed sighting was on Old Christchurch Road in Bournemouth town centre on Saturday December 8.

Since Sunday officers have carried out extensive enquiries in a bid to locate Kat and due to there being suspicious circumstances around her disappearance an investigation was launched by Dorset Police's Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT).

As part of this investigation a 34-year-old man who is known to Kat was arrested and assisted officers with the investigation.

He has now been released from custody without charge.

Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Derbyshire, of MCIT, said: “We are delighted that Kat has been found safe and well and we have updated her family with this news.

“I would like to personally thank everyone who came forward with information, shared our appeal and supported the investigation.”

A Dorset Police spokesperson added: “We have a duty to follow all lines of enquiry and there were suspicious circumstances around her disappearance, including but not limited to: discrepancies in the account given by the person who reported her missing; he claimed he had last seen her on December 8, but we had independent witness testimony putting the pair together on the day of the missing person report; she had not used her bank account for a number of days, and she had not been in contact with friends or family, which was unusual. 

“We made the arrest as part of our enquiries to enable us to speak to a man to ensure a fair legal process and gather information to help us find Kat safe and well.”