A 13-year-old girl who went missing from her family home has been found hanged.

 

Amber Peat, who was last seen on Saturday evening, has been described as a "little angel" by friends and was happy at school, disappeared from home on Saturday afternoon after refusing to clean out a cool box following a family holiday to Cornwall. Around 300 people from her community were involved in a search for her in the town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, until her body was found on Tuesday.

Her body was discovered less than a mile away last night after a huge search operation. Police have confirmed she was found hanged.

Officers said Amber's family have been informed and scores of messages of tribute to the teenager have been left with flowers near the scene.

Nottinghamshire Police have said the death is not being treated as suspicious.

People living near the scene said they were shocked that Amber's body was found in a spot close to so many homes and surprised that it was not found earlier after scores of local people and up to 400 police staff were involved in the search for her.

Speaking outside Amber's school, Queen Elizabeth's Academy in Mansfield, principal Mike Smith said: "Our school community is deeply shocked and saddened to hear a body has been found in the search for one of our Year 8 students, Amber Peat.

"We have been working with the police over the past two days and are waiting to hear from them whether it is Amber who has been found.

"Amber has been a student at the school since September. Academically bright, she has been in the academy 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."

Police guarded stretch of grass next to a large hedge and path. Officers could be seen searching the garden of a large house on the other side of the 6ft deep hedge.

Scores of people from the local community helped search for Amber.

Her mother Kelly and stepfather Danny Peat said Amber walked out after refusing to clean a cool box used to store food during a holiday to Cornwall.

Mr Peat said: "We had just all had a brilliant holiday. It's just not right. She had a fantastic time, never stopped laughing with all of us together."

He added: "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."

Ms Peat said: "We were in the living room and I heard the front door slam."

She went on: "I heard the door and when I went out I couldn't see her anywhere. She had just gone."