Mother-of-two, 34, is found dead at base of cliffs on tiny Channel Island as man, 44, is arrested for murder
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By ED HOLT
Published: | Updated:
A mother-of-two has been found dead at the base of cliffs on a tiny Channel Island as a 44-year-old man is arrested on suspicion of murder.
Hannah Benfield's body was discovered in the sea on the western end of Alderney on Monday.
A 44-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of murder.
He was initially receiving treatment in hospital but has since been held in police custody.
Guernsey Police have said that the suspected murder case on the island, which has a tiny population of just 2,167, is the first in 30 years.
The force said: 'Alderney is a small, close-knit community, and the impact of an incident of this nature on a community like that cannot be overstated.'
Alderney is the most northerly Channel Island - situated 20 miles off the coast of Guernsey - and is known for its unspoilt natural beauty, dramatic coastline, sandy beaches and rich wildlife.
It was occupied by the Germans in 1940 and The Guns forms part of a major military fortification and gun emplacement site on its western coast. Battery Annes features four prominent concrete coast artillery emplacements, personnel shelters and reserve ammunition bunkers.
Hannah Benfield's body was discovered in the sea on the western end of Alderney on Monday morning. Guernsey Police have said that the suspected murder case on the island, which has a tiny population of just 2,167, is the first in 30 years
The remains of Battery Annes in Alderney. It is the most northerly Channel Island - situated 20 miles off the coast of Guernsey - and is known for its unspoilt natural beauty, dramatic coastline, sandy beaches and rich wildlife
Guernsey Police said that they received a report after 11pm on Sunday, which led to emergency services, including the RNLI lifeboat, attending the cliffs around Alderney known as The Guns.
At 4.28am on Monday, Channel Islands Air Search reported a sighting of a person in the water at the base of the cliffs.
After a joint rescue operation, a woman was confirmed deceased.
Alderney vicar Mother Samantha Martell told the BBC that the tragic incident has 'shaken' the island's 'close-knit community'.
She said: 'What the community needs to do now is really come together, to look after one another.
'Not to speculate, not to judge, but just to be what we can be, a real community.
'Something like this, you read about it and it's always what happens to other people, but we are now other people.'
Mother Martell added that the death was an 'absolute tragedy' but she thought it would 'make us stronger as a community and draw us all together'.
Derwent Smithurst, a member of the island's legislature, said the news is 'shocking' and he could not 'believe it's happened in this small community'.
He added: 'It's something that happens elsewhere, not in Alderney.
'We're a great community so we should all pull together and think of the family... they will be devastated but we do have the strength of our community.'
A spokesperson for Guernsey Police said: 'The family has also asked that people respect their privacy as they take time to come to terms with what has happened.
'Guernsey Police would again like to express its condolences to the family and to anyone else affected by this incident.'
Guernsey Police are not looking for any other suspects and do not believe there is an ongoing risk to the wider community in Alderney.
Detectives are looking to see any dashcam footage from vehicles travelling along Rue De Longis in Alderney, or other parts of the west of the island, from between 7.30pm and 11pm on Sunday, September 27, as part of the investigation.
Specialist family liaison officers have been working closely with Ms Benfield's family since the search-and-rescue operation concluded.
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