DETECTIVES have found a boot in a pond in Ramsbury they believe belongs to murder victim Sian O’Callaghan.

The 22-year-old from Swindon was abducted and killed in March 2011, her body discovered five days later at Uffington in Oxfordshire . Taxi driver Christopher Halliwell later admitted murdering her and was sentence to life imprisonment with a minimum of 25 years.

Before she was found police and members of the public searched in the Savernake Forest where analysis showed her mobile phone had been after she went missing from a Swindon nightclub.

The brown New Look boot was found by police officers and it is believed to be one of a pair Sian was wearing when she was abducted.

Extensive searches are now being carried out in the area, including the use of a specialist dive team from Avon and Somerset.

Det Ch Insp, Sean Memory who is leading the Wiltshire Police investigation said: ‘This is an important find and we are conducting thorough and detailed searches of the area.

“There are other items of Sian’s property outstanding including her mobile phone and other personal belongings, we will be focusing the search for these items but keeping an open mind on what we might find.

“The searches are likely to take some days but should not have a significant impact on the local area. Hill Drop Lane has been closed and diversions are in place whilst we carry out our search but will be reopened as soon as possible.”

He added: “We will be keeping Sian’s family updated on our progress and will be working closely with them to ensure anything recovered is returned to them as soon as possible.”