Orrell Water Park death: Ellen Higginbottom identified as victim Published duration 18 June 2017

image copyright Ian Greig/Geograph image caption The teenager was reported missing after she was last seen on Friday at Orrell Water Park

An 18-year-old student found dead at a beauty spot was killed by "multiple wounds to the neck", police said.

Officers have identified the girl, found at Orrell Water Park in Wigan early on Saturday, as Ellen Higginbottom.

She had been reported missing on Friday after she failed to return home from Winstanley College, where she studied.

Greater Manchester Police said some of Ellen's friends had told them she had been last seen at the nature reserve.

Police said a post-mortem test concluded her death was caused by "multiple wounds to the neck".

Her disappearance was "extremely out of character", police have said.

'Shocking' attack

Det Supt Howard Millington appealed for information, saying: "We have a clearer picture of what may have happened to Ellen, but we are still piecing together her exact movements in the lead-up to her death.

"Someone out there knows who did this, or they know it was them, and we will not stop until we find them and bring them to justice."

Police previously said there was a report two young women were followed by two men in the area on Thursday.

"Attacks of this severity are thankfully incredibly rare, but that in itself makes this all the more shocking," said Det Supt Millington, adding that "things like this don't happen in Orrell".