Police seek breakthrough in 1993 murder of woman

The body of Carol Clark was found at the side of the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal

Detectives are hoping for a breakthrough in the murder of a sex worker whose body was found near a canal more than 30 years ago.

Carol Clark was 32 when her body was found by a dog walker partially clothed in reeds and undergrowth at the side of the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal.

She had been strangled and her neck had been broken.

Ms Clark, who lived in Bristol, was last seen getting into a Volvo car in the Montpelier area of the city at about 11.30pm on March 26 in 1993.

She was wearing a black baseball cap, brown leather jacket, blue denim mini skirt, black polo-necked jumper and plain blue T-shirt.

Hours earlier she had left a note for her boyfriend saying she was going out to find work. She planned to be home by 2.30am, but she never returned.

Two days later, a dog walker found Ms Clark’s body close to the water at Sharpness Docks.

She was wearing only her underwear and boots, and the rest of her clothes have never been recovered.

Gloucestershire Police launched a large-scale murder investigation, but despite extensive inquiries and reviews of the case, the murderer has remained at large.

The case was re-opened three years ago after new information was uncovered.

Following a previous public appeal, a witness came forward to say they saw a woman matching Ms Clark’s description walking along Berkley bypass with two men.

In recent years, three men have been arrested on suspicion of her murder.

They were a 69-year-old man from Gloucestershire, a 48-year-old man from Lincolnshire and a 66-year-old man from Newcastle.

Detectives have since ruled the man from Newcastle out of their inquiry, but the two other men remain under investigation.

Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Usher, who is leading the investigation, said: “I am convinced someone out there knows what happened to Carol and we remain committed to doing everything we can to secure justice for her and her family.

“This weekend marks the 33rd anniversary of the day her body was discovered and so we wanted to use this opportunity to once again appeal for anyone who may have information which could help us.

“We strongly suspect Carol was alive all of Saturday 27 March 1993 and she was potentially with two men.

“We also suspect Carol’s body will have been left at Sharpness Docks in daylight hours at a time when there were lots of people around celebrating the 200th anniversary of the British Waterways.

“Carol was wearing distinctive clothing at the time she went missing and so we are once again asking anyone who can recall seeing her that Saturday or seeing anyone behaving suspiciously to contact us.

“You could have the final piece of the jigsaw which helps us catch those responsible for her death.”

Mr Usher added: “We remain in contact with Carol’s family and are committed to providing them with any updates on significant developments in our investigation.”

Published: 27/03/2026 by Radio NewsHub