A 30 year old man is to stand trial over the death of a young mum from Fleetwood who was found dead on railway tracks after going missing.

Kiena Dawes, 23, was deemed to be a high risk missing person after she left her baby daughter with a close friend on July 22 last year and failed to return. Kiena, a mum-of-one who worked as a hairdresser, had left a note on her phone which gave rise to serious concerns for her wellbeing.

The message said: "I hope my life saves another by police acting faster.”

Tragically, her body was discovered by police officers on a railway line close to Barnacre, near Garstang, several hours later.

Ryan Wellings, formerly of Fleetwood and now of Housman Close, Bispham, appeared at Preston Crown Court charged with manslaughter, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He entered not guilty pleas to all three charges and is due to face trial on November 25.

Wellings is also alleged to have malicious communications and will appear at Preston Magistrates’ Court for that charge on July 17.

An investigation was launched by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over communications officers had with Kiena prior to her death.

The watchdog is to look into the police response to her being reported missing, and earlier reports that she was the victim of domestic abuse.

The IOPC found one officer had a case to answer for gross misconduct and two officers are to be investigated for misconduct relating to "actions of omissions" in regard to her reports of domestic abuse.