A woman who was found dead in the back garden of a home in Hayes has been named by police.

Metropolitan Police were called to Whittington Avenue at 9.38am on Monday (September 24) following concerns for the welfare of a missing woman.

Officers entered the property and the body of a woman, aged in her early 30s, was found in the back garden.

Formal identification is yet to take place but police are confident the deceased is Sandra Zmijan, from Southall, who was reported missing on Saturday (September 22).

A post-mortem examination will be carried out on Wednesday (September 26), a spokesman for the Met said.

Police are standing guard outside the home where a woman's body was found

“A 26-year-old man, who was known to the victim, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is in custody at a south London police station,” the spokesman added.

Detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command launched a murder investigation on Monday, and have now released a photograph of Sandra and are appealing for anyone who may have seen her after 8pm on Thursday (September 20) to come forward.

It is believed she used public transport to travel from her home in Southall to the Whittington Road area on Thursday evening.

Police believe the murdered woman is Sandra Zmijan

Sandra is described as being of “athletic and slim build” and is known to have been wearing all black when she was last seen.

Pictures taken from the scene on Tuesday show the house where the investigation has centred taped off and police guarding the cordon.

The driveway of the house was clear, with a police car parked in the driveway of the house next door.

The house has been cordoned off by police and a crime scene is in place

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Harding said: "We are very keen to hear from anyone who thinks they may have seen Sandra from Thursday evening onwards so we can piece together her movements.

"We have made an arrest in connection with this incident but would urge anyone with information to call the incident room on 020 8721 4205 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."