Milly police examine human remains

A police forensic team prepares to investigate the scene

A post-mortem examination is being carried out on the human remains found in remote woodland in Hampshire.

The detective leading the hunt for missing Surrey schoolgirl Amanda Dowler has joined police trying to identify the remains, discovered at Yateley Heath Forest, near Fleet, on Wednesday afternoon.

At a press conference on Friday police said they could not confirm the age or sex of the body and refused to say whether they believed the body was that of the missing schoolgirl.

A further police conference is expected to be held at 1700BST.

Amanda's parents, from Walton-on-Thames, earlier said they now believed their daughter, also known as Milly, was murdered after she went missing as she walked home on 21 March.

Police spokesman Alan Betts: Minds "open"

Detective Chief Superintendent Craig Denholm visited the scene in Hampshire as Amanda's parents marked the six-month anniversary of her disappearance.

Land surrounding the area where the remains were found by a couple collecting mushrooms has been sealed off.

Hampshire police said the couple discovered the remains at about 1400 BST on Wednesday but did not inform police until Thursday.

Detective Superintendent Alan Betts, from Hampshire police, said the Dowlers had been told of the development.

He said the next step was a full forensic examination of the scene and the surrounding area, for any clues or evidence, and a post-mortem.

"The post-mortem will take place later and we anticipate the results later on Friday."

Hampshire Police said they were hoping to use dental records in the identification process, as well as DNA.

A spokesman said the identity of the deceased could be confirmed by Friday afternoon, if the dental record checks proved successful.

Asked how likely it was that the remains were those of the missing teenager, Mr Betts said: "We don't know, we're keeping our minds completely open - that is one possibility."

Forces in surrounding counties were alerted as a matter of course once the remains were found.

A spokeswoman for Surrey police said: "It is far too early to say whether the remains are connected with any missing person's inquiry."

On the eve of the six-month anniversary of her daughter's disappearance, Sally Dowler said she had been through every scenario to explain why the then 13-year-old had not come home.

It is six months since Milly's disappearance

In an interview for Tonight with Trevor McDonald Sally Dowler said: "I think that she has been abducted and murdered and I've been through every possible scenario and played them all through time and time again, but that's the only one I seem to end up at each time.

"The not knowing is just awful because ... there is still that element of doubt."

Her husband Bob recalled how he had searched for his daughter, who had called him shortly before she went missing, near Walton-on-Thames railway station, just after 1608 BST.

Amanda's classmates at Heathside School in Weybridge will join in a special assembly on Friday.