A mummified corpse found in a Leeds garden 12 years ago is missing Bradford teenager Donna Louise Healey, forensic tests have proved.

Today detectives confirmed DNA taken from the body showed it was the 18-year-old, who was last seen alive in March 1988.

Bradford-based Detective Inspector Chris Binns, who is leading the inquiry, said: "I can confirm that forensic tests have conclusively proved that the unidentified body found in Leeds in 1991 is that of missing Bradford woman Donna Louise Healey.

"Donna's family have spent years agonising and not knowing where she was and they are devastated by the news.

"Although it has answered a major question - they now know where Donna was - there are also a lot of unanswered questions." Donna's mother Lorraine Wilkinson and Det Insp Binns were to speak about the find at press conference today.

In October, detectives took a saliva sample from Mrs Wilkinson to compare it with DNA taken from the remains and it is this match that has proved the body was Donna.

Her partially-preserved body was found on a pile of builder's timber in the grounds of a private clinic in Allerton Park, Chapel Allerton, Leeds, in January 1991.

A builder had piled up wood to use the next day and when he returned, the body was lying on top.

The body, initially thought to be a man, was in a "mummified" state - possibly through being stored in an air-tight environment - and could have died more than a year earlier.

Breakthroughs in DNA testing have allowed the remains to be identified 12 years on.

Donna disappeared from her home in Roxby Street, Little Horton, on the eve of her 18th birthday in March 1988. Two months ago, police visited her family home to search for potential clues.

At the time detectives said they believed Donna frequented the Leeds area after she went missing and may have lived there, and urged people to think back to that time.

Anyone with information should telephone police on (01274) 376459.