POLICE have discovered a "potentially significant" item during their searches as they step up their hunt for the murderer of Georgina Edmonds.

Detectives say they found the item during a targeted operation at specific parts of the River Itchen yesterday.

Urgent forensic tests are now being carried out to determine whether it is connected to the brutal killing of the pensioner.

Police are not revealing what they have recovered, but say they believe it "may be significant to the murder inquiry".

Divers have spent the weekend searching the River Itchen, with specialist officers scouring the riverbank downstream of the cottage on Kiln Lane, Brambridge,Eastleigh, where the 77-year-old was battered to death in January 2008.

They were acting on information received to look for the murder weapon and items taken from the grandmother.

They have searched the water and towpath in the area where the river leads from Brambridge towards Bishopstoke and Eastleigh.

Mrs Edmonds was stabbed repeatedly in the upper body, believed by detectives to have been used by her killer as a way of getting her to divulge her cashcard PIN. She was then killed with a rolling pin.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Barton said: "Searches have already taken place in this area shortly after the murder occurred, but we are now acting on information received as part of the inquiry and are searching specific areas of water and the tow path.

"This area is popular with joggers and walkers and I would appeal to anyone who may have seen anything to come forward and speak to us."

Anyone with information should call police, quoting Operation Columbian, on the non-emergency 101 number, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.