See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy GETHIN HICKS, REPORTER Published: 21:23 BST, 19 August 2026 | Updated: 21:33 BST, 19 August 2026
A body has been found in a crashed car down a roadside embankment in the search for a woman who had been missing for nearly a month. Tracey Smith, 57, vanished on July 24 after she was sighted leaving her home in Stokesley, North Yorkshire, driving a black Fiat Panda. Police launched a search effort to locate Tracey - asking hikers, runners and cyclists to 'look out' for the 5ft 5in woman - but could not track her down. Officers speculated that Tracey may have travelled to London in her vehicle, and made tracking down the Fiat Panda their priority. However, following the force's latest appeal on Tuesday, a member of the public called to say they had noticed a black vehicle crashed in undergrowth down an embankment on the A172 near the Cleveland Tontine. The vehicle's driver was tragically found dead inside. Formal identification is yet to take place but North Yorkshire Police believe the deceased to be Tracey.The A172 was closed for the majority of Wednesday as officers examined the scene. It is expected to reopen this evening. North Yorkshire Police spent weeks searching for 57-year-old Tracey Smith, pictured, after she went missing on July 24 Tracey was last seen leaving her home in Stokesley driving a black Fiat Panda North Yorkshire Police believe that Tracey's body was uncovered inside the car on TuesdayA statement released by North Yorkshire Police today read: 'Last night, North Yorkshire Police were called by a member of the public after they noticed a black vehicle had come to rest in undergrowth down an embankment on the A172 at its junction with the A19 near the Cleveland Tontine.'Sadly, the sole occupant of the vehicle was found deceased inside. While formal identification is yet to take place, officers believe the deceased to be missing Tracey Smith from the Stokesley area.'The road was closed and will remain closed for most of the day. This was to allow investigators to examine the scene and to recover the vehicle. Due to the location of the vehicle, forensic examination and recovery took longer than usual. The road is expected to reopen later this evening.'Our thanks go to members of the public who responded to appeals for help to find Tracey, including the person who called in after noticing a vehicle in the undergrowth.'An investigation will be carried out to determine how the car came to leave the road.'
