THE ex-boyfriend of a former Whalley barmaid who was found dead in Australia has been charged with her murder.

Ty Ronald Delavale, 25, was appearing before Perth Magistrates' Court today charged with killing Anya Patrice Campbell on August 1.

Detectives yesterday replaced a charge of assault occasioning bodily harm against Delavale with murder following further investigations.

Sgt Graham Clifford, of Western Australia Police's Major Crime Unit, said 24-year-old Miss Campbell's body was discovered at a house in the northern Perth suburb of Carine - four days after she was reported missing.

Sgt Clifford said: "Delavale attended a police station and made some allegations that he had assaulted Anya.

"Once the post-mortem examination came back it would appear that maybe he's got more things to answer for."

Sgt Clifford said earlier speculation that Anya had died of a drug overdose had been ruled out by police at present.

"There were some rumours she died of a drug overdose but it would appear at this stage that was not the case. The forensic evidence suggests there's more to it than just a drug overdose," he said.

Miss Campbell, who worked behind the bar at the Whalley Arms for seven months last year, became well known in the village after she spent time staying with family in the area.

The bubbly young barmaid had been travelling around the UK with her 28-year-old sister, Sinead and came to East Lancashire looking for work experience.

Anya, the youngest daughter of Ian and Dee Campbell, of Warwick, Perth, returned to Australia last Christmas after her mother became ill.

Police had to break into the Mathis Way home and found Anya's body in the bathroom.