A man accused of killing a missing mum and burning her body has appeared in court.

Mark Brown, 40, previously pleaded not guilty to the murder of Alexandra Morgan, from Sissinghurst, after the 34-year-old went missing on Remembrance Sunday last year.

Ms Morgan, a mother-of-two, was last seen buying petrol at the Shell service station at The Common, Sissinghurst, at 7.20am.

Police officers carried out extensive searches in three areas near Hastings and another near Sevenoaks Weald, but failed to find her body.

In February, Brown, of Squirrel Close, St-Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, pleaded not guilty to the murder of the Kent woman and a second woman – Leah Ware, 33, from Hastings.

His defending counsel, Danny Moore, told a judge that Brown's defence would be that Miss Morgan's death had been an accident, but he would admit to trying to dispose of her body by fire.

Now eight months later Brown is facing trial for the alleged murder of the two women.

He appeared at Hove Crown Court this morning and the case was adjourned ahead of a jury being sworn in tomorrow.

Following the earlier hearing, senior investigating officers DCI Neil Kimber of Kent Police and DCI Andy Wolstenholme from the force in Sussex, said: "Our thoughts are with the families of both Alexandra and Leah at this difficult time.

"Whilst we have located the remains of Alexandra we have yet to find Leah and our investigations remain ongoing.

"We are appealing for anyone with information regarding either Leah or Alexandra to contact us urgently.

"Anyone with information is asked to contact Kent Police or Sussex Police online or by visiting the Kent Major Incident Public Portal in relation to Alexandra Morgan. Alternatively call 101 quoting Operation Gallery for Kent or Operation Acresdown for Sussex.

"We understand the impact that this may have in our communities. We encourage anyone with concerns to get in touch with us."