FOLLOWING the dramatic discovery of Sian O’Callaghan’s body in a field near Uffington, attention turned to another field 16 miles away.

Forensic examiners worked into the night in the Gloucestershire village of Eastleach to try and uncover a second body – a location which Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher said he had been shown by the 47-year-old suspect.

At a press conference Mr Fulcher said: “I personally was taken to two locations by this individual – one near Uffington where we discovered a body who we believe is Sian and also to another location near Eastleach where we believe that a second body may be.

“In connection with the second location, examination of that area commenced last night but this is a very slow and painstaking process and could take several days. Until that has been completed we will not know what we are dealing with.

“What I can say is that if there is one, we believe that it relates to an incident some years ago and that it is an adult.

“Wiltshire only has one outstanding missing adult from several years ago and whilst it’s not appropriate for me today to reveal any details, obviously considerable effort is being directed towards this aspect of the ongoing investigation.”

On Thursday night police set up roadblocks on five roads around the remote, idyllic villages of Eastleach Turville and Eastleach Martin, about 16 miles north of Swindon.

A large police van was parked in a field and a team of forensic officers were examining the site.

Police investigating Sian’s death were using mechanical diggers to excavate the corner of a field on the Oxfordshire-Gloucestershire border in their hunt for a second body. Around 15 officers and forensics experts were searching land at Baxter’s Farm, between the villages of Eastleach and Filkins.

They removed part of a dry stone wall and excavated two trenches in the corner of the field, where officers in protective clothing were on their hands and knees in the mud.

DCI Sean Memory, who is leading the Eastleach search, said officers had received “relatively specific” information from a man held in connection with 22-year-old Sian’s death but that nothing had yet been found.

“We were given some indication of where there might be a find. Of course, it isn’t as simple as that. It was tricky last night in the dark. We will use as much light as we can and then decide what we will do when it gets dark,” he said.

Police have erected a blue tent in the field where they are searching. They had yet to find any human remains at the time of going to press.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Wiltshire Police on 0845 408 7000, or anonymously on Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.