Friends and family of Janet Harvey, an Englishwoman who had been found dead in her Qawra apartment, are at a loss over her cause of death as there has been no news from Malta since the grim discovery of her corpse was made last February.

It transpires that Harvey had passed away the previous November but her passing had not been reported by her husband, and her body had been left to decompose in the apartment they shared.

Media reports from Retford, from where Harvey hailed, are reporting that the Maltese police have remained mum over investigations into the cause of death of the former Nottinghamshire County Council careers officer.

Police have confirmed that the investigation into the 69-year-old’s death remains ongoing, but remain tight-lipped on its progress.

A spokesperson for the Malta police force is quoted as replying: “Kindly note that investigations from the police, as well as the magisterial inquiry are still on-going, and it until it is closed, details cannot be divulged.”

Harvey reportedly retired from her position at the county council due to ill health.  Shortly after her retirement, the pensioner moved to Malta with her recently married husband.

Foul play has previously been ruled out by the authorities during investigations by police in Malta.

Harvey’s family had rung the alarm bell last February after they had tried several times to reach her for months.

Harvey, who was 69 years of age, is believed to have been dead for the three months. According to reports, the woman’s husband, who is also English, did not file a report after the woman’s death.

The grim discovery of the decomposing body was made during a search carried out by the police at the couple's apartment in Triq San Luqa, Qawra, after the British High Commission alerted them that the woman had been missing for a number of weeks.

The Malta Independent had been informed that Harvey’s family had been trying to get in touch with her for weeks and had never managed to speak to her. Family members were always reportedly told by her husband that she was fine but she was unable to speak to them because she was on errands or had appointments. Sources told this newsroom that the family also checked with Mater Dei hospital is see if she was being treated there.

A childhood friend had told The Malta Independent at the time that she “could not believe Janet is no longer with us. I am in shock. She was a beautiful, successful and intelligent person. She married late in life and together with her English husband they came to live in Malta in 2005.”

Her friend said that, “a few years ago Janet was involved in a car accident and this left her physically impaired. She was a kind-hearted person and although she did not have children, she loved her family.”