MORE than 169 vehicles were stopped during anniversary checks along the road where blood and scalp tissue was discovered in Suffolk.Detectives chatted to hundreds of motorists on the A146 road at Beccles in the early hours of yesterday morning in an effort to collect more information about the murder of Deborah Townsend.

By Danielle Nuttall

MORE than 169 vehicles were stopped during anniversary checks along the road where blood and scalp tissue was discovered in Suffolk.

Detectives chatted to hundreds of motorists on the A146 road at Beccles in the early hours of yesterday morning in an effort to collect more information about the murder of Deborah Townsend.

Ms Townsend – who also used the surname Hamilton – was found by police in the back of a silver coloured, 2004 registration, Landrover Discovery vehicle in the grounds Newland Hall, Roxwell, near Chelmsford, a week today.

Officers are linking the discovery of the body to congealed blood and scalp tissue found on the A146 in Suffolk the day before, where it is believed Ms Townsend met her death.

It emerged yesterday that witnesses had contacted police suggesting mother-of-three Ms Townsend, from East Ham, London, and her partner Christopher Caunter, 33, might have been in public houses in the Denmark Road area of Lowestoft.

It is thought the couple had travelled to East Anglia last Thursday for a holiday in a cruiser on the Norfolk Broads.

Police have not been able to trace Mr Caunter since Ms Townsend's death and are appealing for him or anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact them.

Detectives spoke to 11 people in public houses in the area of Denmark Road on Thursday night.

A poster and leaflets containing her picture have now been left in the area in an attempt to identify any further witnesses.

During checks along the A146, between midnight and 2.30am yesterday, police spoke to two buses carrying more than 50 passengers in the hope of receiving more leads.

A post mortem examination carried out on Monday by Home Office pathologist Dr Michael Heath confirmed that the victim had died as a result of head injuries.

Murder squad detectives investigating Ms Townsend's death are anxious to trace her last movements.

A 41-year man who was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder after voluntarily attending Barking police station in London on Saturday has been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

He is due to return to Ipswich police station on August 21.

Anyone who has information should contact the force incident room on 01473 613588.