FRIENDS and associates of Jane Payne are being quizzed by police probing how the mum-of-one ended up dead in a remote East Lancashire beauty spot.

Jane's decomposed body was found in a field in Thursden Valley at the weekend. She had been missing from her Queen Victoria Road, Duke Bar, home since March.

Police have ruled out murder, but not possible foul play and are probing two lines of inquiry.

They believe she may have died elsewhere and her body was dumped.

Or Jane, who occasionally worked as a prostitute when short of cash, was taken to the area, possibly by a punter, and died later.

Officers are talking to anyone who knew her, including prostitutes and kerb crawlers.

A post mortem examination proved inconclusive and police are awaiting results of toxicology tests. There were no signs of violence on the body.

Det Insp Dave Hickey said: "As part of our inquiries we are talking to people who knew her, including street sex workers and kerb crawlers.

"It may be that somebody has information which can help us piece together what happened to her."

The 29-year-old widow also known as Jane Kelly, had been missing since March 31.

She left home at 11pm that evening and never again made contact with family, including three year-old daughter Chelsea.

Anyone with information should call police on 01282 425001 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.