- 45 minutes ago
- Nottingham
Tributes have been made to a missing 13-year-old girl after a body was found by police.
Amber Peat disappeared from her home in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire on Saturday.
A body, believed to be Amber's, was found on Tuesday evening and her family was informed, although formal identification is yet to take place.
Floral tributes and messages have been left at the scene, while her school principal described her as a "bright" girl who loved singing and dancing.
A police guard remains in place near where the body was found, close to houses in Westfield Lane, about a mile from Amber's home. A post-mortem examination is due to be held later.
Rianna Richards, 12, was in tears as she laid flowers in memory of her friend. She said she had been sent home from school because she was so upset.
"She was a nice person, she was funny," Rianna said.
Rianna's mother, Sharon, said: "You don't really expect this to happen this close to home. It's hard to take in when things like this happen.
"Obviously, we don't know what's happened. It's hard to imagine. I think it's just more shock than anything."
One message left at the scene read: "I hope your parents find the strength to find peace. Hope the angels make you smile."
In a statement, Mike Smith, principal at Queen Elizabeth's Academy, said: "Amber has been a student at the school since September.
"Academically bright, she has been in the choir and has loved singing and dancing. Amber has been happy at the academy.
"Students who have been particularly affected are being supported by staff and trained counsellors.
"This is a close-knit, community academy and everybody is supporting each other at this difficult time."
Hundreds of people had been involved in the search for Amber after she went missing at the weekend.
Supt Matt McFarlane, who co-ordinated the search, thanked the community for its support.
"From the moment Amber was reported missing our teams worked tirelessly alongside the community to try and find her," he said.
"Over four hundred officers and staff, including those from our five neighbouring East Midlands forces, were looking for her. Sadly, this was not the outcome that any of us were hoping for.
"Our thoughts are with Amber's family, and we do ask that you please respect their privacy and that of her wider family."
The teenager's parents Kelly and Danny Peat, who had just returned from holiday in Cornwall, made an appeal for help at a news conference.
Mr Peat said: "We had just all had a brilliant holiday. It's just not right.
"We told her to clean a cool box out that we had had sandwiches in for the journey home.
"It was a chore, basically, and I'm sure all teenagers are the same, she didn't want to do a chore. That was the last conversation."
Mrs Peat said: "We were in the living room and I heard the front door slam."
"I heard the door and when I went out I couldn't see her anywhere. She had just gone."
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