22-year-old woman who disappeared on Christmas Eve found dead close to her home.

A young woman whose body was found just metres from her home after a suspected attack on Christmas Eve has been named as Iuliana Tudos. 

A murder investigation is underway after the body of the 22-year-old was discovered in Finsbury Park, north London, on Wednesday afternoon.

Ms Tudos, who police said was of Russian and Greek origin, had last been seen by friends at around 8pm on 24 December when she headed for a bus home from nearby Camden, where she worked. 

Friends of the barmaid, who worked at the World’s End pub near Camden High Street, launched an appeal for information about her disappearance but she was found by a member of the public in an outbuilding in the park shortly before 4.30pm.

She is believed to have worked at the pub since April and was originally from Moscow.

The barmaid had been due to meet a friend at their home in Enfield, north-east London, where she had planned to spend Christmas Day, but she never arrived. 

Police said her next of kin, who are not in the UK, have been informed.

A post-mortem examination was being carried out on Thursday evening at Haringey Mortuary, with a result expected by Friday, police said.

On Thursday an area in the north-east corner of the park, close to a baseball pitch, was cordoned off as murderdetectives investigated how she died.

Forensics officers marked out what appeared to be clothing scattered on the grass.

Ms Tudos's home in nearby Upper Tollington Park was also searched by police.

Neighbour Sebastian Jonathan said:

 “She was a very nice person, young and gorgeous.

“I met her twice when she came over for beers when we had barbecues last summer.”

Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Wall, from the homicide and major crime command, said: “Iuliana's body was discovered in an outbuilding next to a sports pitch.

“We believe that she may have been attacked on 24 December - Christmas Eve - but we want to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious in that part of Finsbury Park over the Christmas period.

“We are still trying to piece together a timeline of events and are pursuing a number of lines of inquiry as regards to a motive.”

Police said no arrests have been made.