CONCERNS about a missing woman were raised with police three weeks before her body was found stuffed in a suitcase, an inquest heard.

Mother-of-two Marie Stewart’s body was found in the garage of her home at Perseverance Place in Holmfirth on February 13.

But at the opening of the inquest into her death yesterday, Coroner Roger Whittaker heard her family had called police on January 23.

Miss Stewart had not been seen since before Christmas.

Coroner’s officer Fiona Turner said: “Her family contacted police raising concerns she hadn’t been seen for some time.”

Officers visited the property with a member of her family but found nothing untoward and no further action was taken.

Another call was then made to police on February 12 to report that Miss Stewart was still missing.

Det Insp Martin Hepworth, of West Yorkshire Police’s homicide and major enquiry team, told the inquest a search was carried out the following evening.

He said: “Following a search, police found the lifeless body of Marie Stewart.”

She was pronounced dead at 10.10pm that night.

A post-mortem revealed Miss Stewart had suffered stab wounds to the neck “compounded by blunt force trauma”.

A murder inquiry was launched, led by Det Supt Dick Nuttall. Miss Stewart’s partner, Andrew Lindo, was charged with her murder.

The 28-year-old has admitted killing her, but has denied her murder.

At a court appearance last month, his lawyers said he was prepared to plead guilty to a manslaughter charge.

He is due to stand trial for murder later this year.

Mr Whittaker released Miss Stewart’s body for the funeral, which is due to take place on Saturday March 26 at St John’s Church in Upperthong.

In a funeral notice, her parents Robert and Helen said: “We lost our beautiful daughter, sister to Katie, mummy to Isobelle and Joseph, in the most tragic of circumstances.”

The family have invited friends and family to “celebrate her life” at the funeral.

A fund has been set up to support Miss Stewart’s children, who are aged three and one.