Family lay flowers as body found

Ashley Dighton was last seen in Ashford more than a month ago

Family and friends of a 19-year-old man missing for five weeks have laid flowers at the scene where a body was discovered behind a supermarket.

Kent Police, who have launched a murder inquiry, said the body had not yet been formally identified but they believed it was that of Ashley Dighton.

Mr Dighton was last seen at the shopping centre in Ashford on 11 June.

The body, believed to have been there some time, was found in nearby woodland off the M20 on Wednesday.

Officers said it might be weeks before they could confirm whether the remains were Mr Dighton's.

Police examine the scene where the body was found

"The last place Ashley was seen was at Sainsbury's here at Ashford and the path was his route home," said Acting Det Ch Insp David Withers.

"We can't confirm whether it is Ashley we have found but we are preparing his family."

Police have CCTV images of Mr Dighton at the shopping centre with a group of friends on the day he went missing.

They say he had no change of clothes and little money.

"We urgently need to trace people who have any information about Ashley going missing or anyone who knows anything about the body we have found," said Mr Withers.