A BODY found in the Solent has been formally identified as a Hampshire woman who vanished from a festival. 

Rebecca Allan, aged 40, from Lymington, Hampshire, went missing at about ten past midnight on the morning of Sunday while she was visiting the Old Gaffers sailing festival at Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight.

She was reported missing to Hampshire Constabulary, which worked with family and friends to conduct searches and enquiries.

Police responded to a report of a body in the Solent on Monday. This body was brought ashore and formally identified by family members as Rebecca Allan.

Now detectives have launched an appeal for witnesses to Rebecca's last movements and the circumstances leading up to her disappearance.

Her death is not being treated as suspicious.

HM Coroner has been informed, and a post-mortem examination to help establish the cause of death is due to take place.

Enquiries so far have established that Rebecca was last seen close to the jetty near Yarmouth Sailing Club, walking across the green towards the beer tent.

She was white, medium build, 5ft 9 ins tall, shoulder length light brown hair. She had a distinctive tiger tattoo on her stomach.

She was wearing brown boots, navy blue jeans, a grey shirt and a navy blue Henri Lloyd sailing jacket and was carrying a small red zip-up faux-leather purse and was wearing a silver twist bangle on her right wrist.

Anyone with information or any witnesses to Rebecca's movements in Yarmouth on Saturday night (May 30) or early on Sunday morning (May 31) are asked to contact the Isle of Wight Investigation Team by phoning 101.

Mini-com users can phone 18001 101.