TESTS were being carried out today to identify the body of a woman discovered in the garden of a house in Harrogate.

One possibility police are looking at is that the body could be that of mother-of-two Jo Paines, 39, of Wetherby Road, Harrogate, who went missing on November 19 suffering depression.

The occupants of the house in Wetherby Road made the grim discovery after spotting a figure behind a tree in dense undergrowth at the bottom of their large garden, police said.

"It was the body of a person who was slumped forward on the ground," said a North Yorkshire Police spokesman.

Police said the body appeared to have been there for some time, and it was not clear at first whether the person was male or female.

The cause of death was not apparent and a post mortem examination, carried out by a Home Office pathologist at Harrogate District Hospital, proved inconclusive. Toxicology tests are being carried out to establish how the person died.

Police said there were no obvious signs of injury and no suspicious circumstances.

Other tests were being carried today "which could provide a positive identification".

The house, which stands opposite Harrogate Town's football ground, is home to John Hardy, who owns a hair salon, in Cheltenham Crescent, Harrogate, and his wife, Judy.

A police cordon, set up to preserve the scene, barred the entrance to their property.

The discovery was made at about 3.30pm yesterday.

Next-door neighbour Adrian Pyrah said: "It is a bit of a shock. It makes you wonder who it is.

"I am very surprised the body has not been spotted before because, while our gardens are woodland gardens, most of us are out clearing up leaves and would spot anything."

Updated: 11:59 Thursday, January 09, 2003