Divers off Deal Pier have made the chilling discovery of the identity card of Mariola Cudworth, known as Mika, who was killed and dumped in a field by her husband.

Iain Callum and Ian Goodban recovered the barmaid’s annual pass to Wingham Wildlife Park, showing her full name and picture, during their first dive of the area on Monday morning.

They have since handed it to Kent Police, who described it as a “significant find”.

In January, Mika’s husband, Jon Cudworth, was convicted of manslaughter and jailed for 15 years.

During the trial, where he denied murdering the mother of his two children at their Northbourne home, CCTV images were shown of him disposing of her belongings off the pier.

Mr Goodban, the landlord of the Freed Man micropub in Walmer, said: “I just thought somebody might have lost it and it would be an inconvenience.

“Iain thought it might be her, but I didn’t recognise her. I didn’t realise it was going to be quite so significant.”

The pass was in almost perfect condition despite being in the sea for more than a year, so Mr Goodban thought it must have been trapped somewhere, stopping it from being pulled out by the tide.

He said: “It gives a more complete piece of the puzzle.”

Mr Callum, who lives in St Margaret’s, called the police on Monday, and they arrived within 20 minutes.

He was told the ID was a “very useful and significant find”.

The experienced divers said this was their first dive at the pier because visibility is usually poor.

Mariola, known as Mika, worked as a barmaid at The Three Horse Shoes in Great Mongeham.

She was reported missing in April 2015 but her body was later found in a field near Eastry.

The trial revealed that Mika admitted she was having an affair and after an argument, Cudworth stabbed her four times in what was described as a “brutal and callous” killing.

After the trial, police released CCTV images of Cudworth throwing Mika’s handbag off the pier but up until now her possessions had not been found.

Mr Goodban said he found three mobile phones as well but had no idea if one of them could belong to Mika.

During his time diving he has come across shipwrecks, microwaves, traffic cones, and even a funeral urn, but said this find was the most chilling.