Family visits Sarah's grave

Sarah Payne: Disappeared from a West Sussex field

The family of murdered schoolgirl Sarah Payne has made a Christmas Day visit to her grave as they go through the torment of their first Christmas without her.

The family left presents by the graveside and spent time there on Christmas morning.

The eight-year-old's mother Sara said the visit had been dreaded by her family, which includes children Lee, 13, Luke, 11, and six-year-old Charlotte.

Police are still hunting Sarah's killer

"It's a strange feeling in the house as there are no Christmas decorations up although the children do want to put up Sarah's stocking," she said.

"Sarah adored Christmas and she loved all special days. She was the one that gave us all the excitement - making cards and paper chains. She was always up at 4am.

"Really we cannot face it but it will come whether we want it to or not. For the children's sake we will try and make it as special as we can."

Sarah, from Hersham in Surrey, disappeared from a field near her grandparents' home at Kingston Gorse, near Littlehampton, West Sussex, on 1 July.

Her partially buried body was found 16 days later just of the A29 near Pulborough, West Sussex. Detectives are still searching for her killer.