A police officer is facing disciplinary action over the death of a woman whose body found at a golf course in Edinburgh, 400 miles from her home.

Saima Ahmed was discovered at Gogarburn Golf Club in January, five months after she was reported missing from her home in London.

It remains unclear why the 36-year-old travelled to Scotland.

A Metropolitan police officer who was part of the inquiry now faces a misconduct hearing over claims he failed to pursue lines of inquiry relating to the last sighting of Ms Ahmed.

This may have been a breach of his professional standards, according to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

It would result in additional training or advice, rather than a dismissal, if it was found the officer had a case to answer.

IPCC spokesman Colin Dewar said: "The investigation into how the Metropolitan Police handled Saima Ahmed's disappearance formed the opinion that, in places, officers may not have met the levels required by their professional standards.

"It is important that improvements are made for future investigations and that the officers will be accountable for their actions."

Ms Ahmed is thought to have travelled by train from Wembley to Edinburgh on August 30.

Police believe she died close to the time she disappeared but post-mortem examinations have resulted in an "unascertainable" cause of death.

She had no known links to Edinburgh and her relatives were unaware of any friends or contacts she might have had in the area, or any plans to travel to Scotland.