THE body of a missing North-East woman has been discovered by two fisherman in the North Sea.

Kathleen Wilkinson, 56, has been missing for a week after failing to meet up with her youngest son.

She had only recently left Shotley Bridge Hospital after being treated for depression.

Police confirmed the mum-of-two was found off Druridge Bay, in Northumberland, on Friday evening. Tests confirmed she had drowned.

Brothers Alan and John Thompson, of Amble, Northumberland, spotted her body while fishing for mackerel.

Her sons Tom, 20, and Gordon, 25, had been waiting for news at her rented home in Morpeth, Northumberland, as police in Northumbria and County Durham launched a search.

The former careers advisor had suffered from depression for a year. She left hospital three weeks ago to stay with her brother in Burnopfield, County Durham.

Relatives believe Kathleen, who divorced 14 years ago, may have been troubled by rising property prices, as she had recently had an offer accepted on a new home in Morpeth, Northumberland.

Last Saturday, she told her brother she was going to see her son, Tom, in Morpeth and said she had sent a text message.

It emerged that Tom had not received any mobile phone messages, prompting the police search.

Kathleen left her brother's home in her red W-Reg Vauxhall Corsa, which has yet to be found.

A spokesman for the family said last night: "We are all devastated by this tragedy. Many friends and colleagues will miss her greatly. She bravely struggled to cope with her problems and it's terribly sad that it has ended this way."

An inquest is due to be opened later this week.