Briton found dead in Australian desert

A middle-aged British woman was found dead in outback Australia yesterday after disappearing from a resort near Uluru, the iconic desert monolith once known Ayers Rock.

The body of 52-year-old Ethel Hetherington was discovered by a group of Aboriginal people by the side of a track around 50 kilometres southeast of Yulara, where she had been on holiday with a cousin since October 6.

Ms Hetherington was last seen late on Monday in Yulara and police mounted a ground and air search on Tuesday after she was reported missing. A police spokeswoman said forensic police were at the scene and investigations into the cause of death were under way.