The Body of British diplomat Rebecca Dykes who worked at the UK embassy in Beirut was found dead

Rebecca Dykes, a UK diplomat who worked at the British embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, has been found murdered

A female British diplomat in Lebanon has been found dead after being strangled in Beirut, senior police sources say. Rebecca Dykes' body was found on Saturday close to the Metn expressway, in Lebanon's capital, reports Al Jadeed TV. It is believed Ms Dykes, who was in her 30s, was strangled and raped before her death. Her body has reportedly been transferred to the Dahr al-Bashak Hospital for a post-mortem. A family spokesman said: 'We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. We are doing all we can to understand what happened. 'We request that the media respect our privacy as we come together as a family at this very difficult time.' A spokesman for the Department for International Development where she worked said: 'Our thoughts are with Becky's family and friends at this very upsetting time.

Police are investigating whether Ms Dykes (pictured), 30, was sexually before her body was found