Man, 40, in court charged with murder after mum-of-two Alexandra Morgan, 34, vanished without trace over two weeks ago

A MAN has appeared in the dock charged with the murder of a mum-of-two who vanished without trace more than a fortnight ago.

Alexandra Morgan, 34, was last seen at a petrol station near Cranbrook, Kent, on November 14.

There has been no sign of her since.

Despite that, police arrested two men on suspicion of her murder, one of whom - a 53-year-old man - has been released without further action.

Mark Brown, 40, was charged with the offence shortly after midnight on Sunday.

Brown, of St-Leonards-on-Sea in East Sussex, appeared at the crown court in Lewes today.

He has not yet entered a plea to the charge, and spoke only to confirm his name before being remanded back into custody.

A trial date has been set for next May.

Police are still searching for Alexandra's body after she disappeared more than two weeks ago.

They are scouring four locations in the Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea area.

The mum has not been in contact with her family, which police say is "completely out of character".

Kent Police launched a murder probe last week.

Officers believe Alexandra's Mini - number plate MF55 YHM - is "key to establishing her whereabouts".

MURDER CHARGE

The car was seen making journeys between her home in Sissinghurst, Kent, and towards the Hastings area of East Sussex on November 14 and 15.

Petrol station manager Rose McAuley, 32, a friend of Ms Morgan's, served her when she topped up with £10-worth of fuel and bought coffee and a snack on the morning of her disappearance.

She said of the last time she saw her friend of 17 years: “She was more done up than I’ve ever seen her before.

“And she came in very early in the morning which was unlike her.”

Police are urging anyone who has seen Alexandra or her car to get in touch.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Kimber, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: "It is completely out of character for Alexandra not to contact her family and we are now treating this case as a potential murder.

"While we continue our investigation, I would urge anyone who may have seen Alexandra or her white Mini Cooper with a black roof to contact us.

"If you think you may have seen Alexandra or something suspicious but are not sure, please do not hesitate to call and let us know."