Body found in the Hunter Valley identified

The body of a woman found floating in the Hunter River has been formally identified.

A kayaker found 61-year-old Elizabeth Small of Maitland in the river at Lorn about 11.30am on Sunday.

A post mortem examination was conducted late on Tuesday and formally identified Mrs Small, who was reported missing by her husband last week.

It is not yet clear how she died.

Detectives investigating Mrs Small's death are eager to hear from anyone who may have seen her last week.

She was last seen around 2.30pm on December 2 at an ATM outside a building society on Beaumont Street in Hamilton.