TRIBUTES have been paid to an elderly and vulnerable woman suffering dementia who was found dead after a police search this week.

This week, family made a desperate plea to find 72-year-old Joan Doherty after she was reported missing from her home in Allt-Yr-Yn Court.

She was last seen on Sunday, December 10 at 2pm and following a Gwent Police search, her body was found in the Barrack Hill area of Newport.

Her family have now released a tribute "thanking everyone in the community who helped to search and spread the word for their mums disappearance".

“We are extremely grateful to the people who helped look for mum especially with the poor weather conditions," it said.

“We have nothing but praise for all the efforts and phenomenal support from Gwent Police and the officers involved in the search operation.

“We are currently being supported by a Police Family Liaison Officer and would now like to be left alone to grieve as a family through this difficult time.”