Desperate hunt for April continues: Police search murder suspect Mark Bridger's home as town refuses to give up hope for girl, 5



Police must either charge or release Bridger, 46, by 5pm



Development suggests police are now looking for April Jones' body

Family release three more pictures of their cherished daughter



Police ask public to stand down and let professionals search for April

April's school refuse to give up hope on her being found alive



More than 220 officers have been involved in operation to find April

Psychologist involved in Madeleine McCann search joins investigation

Bridger attended the same parents' evening as April's parents on Monday



The hunt for missing April Jones resumed today after searchers were stood down overnight due to atrocious weather conditions.

Despite police launching a murder probe, residents and friends of the schoolgirl's family refused to give up hope that the five-year-old may be found alive.



Last night a forensic tent was erected outside the home of the man who has been arrested on suspicion of killing her.

Officers have been meticulously searching for the little girl, searching for finger prints and clues as they erected a 'sterile environment' outside Mark Bridger's home.



Today police searching for the youngster will decide today whether to charge Bridger with her murder.

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A sniffer dog and his handler David Jones search the River Dyfi in Machynlleth

Searchers have vowed to leave no stone unturned in the hunt for the missing five-year-old

Police forensic scientists search rubbish bags outside the house of Mark Bridger in the village of Ceinws

The river levels have dropped in Macynlleth where police and volunteers have been looking for missing April for six days

Police stand guard outside the house of Mark Bridger who detectives are speaking to over the disappearance of the five-year-old

Mr Bridger, who was questioned for three days over the disappearance of the five year old was dramatically re-arrested yesterday on suspicion of killing her.

Although there is still no trace of April, detectives concluded that she must be dead and that they had sufficient grounds to arrest Bridger, 46, on suspicion of being her killer. ’ The development was relayed to relatives of April shortly before an official announcement by the officer leading the investigation.

Mark Bridger, pictured, has been re-arrested on suspicion of murder

Police were last night given permission to question Bridger for a further 24 hours, meaning they have until late this afternoon to decide whether to charge or release him.

He was driven to Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court where JPs granted an application for a further ‘warrant of detention’.

Following his brief appearance at court, Bridger was escorted back into Aberystwyth police station with a blue blanket over his head.

A spokesman for Dyfed Powys Police said that the tent had been set up as a 'sterile environment' so police would have somewhere to store items that they wanted to take away to inspect, if they discovered any.

Police will hold a news conference between 3pm and 5pm today to report the latest update in the case.



Bridger attended the same school parents’ evening as April’s mother and father hours before their daughter disappeared. He has two children at the school.

Sources close to the Jones family said the couple had been given a ‘glowing report’ about their daughter’s progress – and, as a treat, had allowed her some extra play time when they returned home.

She was seen willingly getting into large vehicle at around 7pm on Monday evening on the Bryn-y-Gog estate in Machynlleth.

A 70 year old last night claimed he was the last man to see April alive. ‘I was home on Monday night as usual and saw little April playing outside with her friends,’ he said.



‘They were riding their bikes up and down the street like they have been all summer.

‘A driver kept cruising up and down the road where the kids were playing.



Clinging to hope: Pictures of April on the family's front gate

April Jones went missing on October 1 after she was playing outside on her bike April's family released three new pictures of the schoolgirl including the one, left, with her face painted and right, in a blue cardigan waving a flag

A close-up view of the photos posted on the gate of the Jones family's home 'I thought it was a little odd but nothing more and then I noticed it parked up next to the garages which was strange because no one would park there usually.

'The kids were still playing at that point. ‘But suddenly they weren’t there and I noticed the car drive briskly down the road towards the town centre.’ The massive police operation to find April was concentrated on a stretch of river last night. Her mother Coral, 40, is still hoping that she will see her daughter again. On her cousin Mel Moon’s Facebook page,Mrs Jones said: ‘I am not giving up hope and have not been told my daughter is dead yet.

'Please stay hopeful!’

Miss Moon, 23, who lives in Australia, also criticised those who had set up pages on the social networking site suggesting her relative was already dead. She posted: ‘Plz plz share and keep the hope going.’ Last night it was unclear what prompted the upgrading of the investigation into a murder inquiry. 'There was speculation that there had been a forensic breakthrough or that police had received a ‘golden nugget’ of intelligence. Detective Superintendent Reg Bevan said: ‘The arrest does not detract from our efforts to find April.' Meanwhile April's shell-shocked parents have issued three new photographs of their cherished daughter. A team of 12 police officers moved in at 10am yesterday to the hillside to clear shrubs and vegetation and begin the painstaking work of sifting through the loose shale underneath. The search area - the size of a tennis court - leads down to the river where the man carrying the black bag was seen by two witnesses at 1pm on Tuesday. Mark Bridger is led from Aberyswyth police station to appear before magistrates yesterday. Police have until late this afternoon to decide whether to charge or release him Bridger's home is searched by forensic officers last night as police try to find a clue as to where the five-year-old is Experts have been trawling the area around the tight-knit community to discover where the little girl - who had been playing outside as a treat for a glowing school report - has disappeared to A candlelit vigil is held in Machynlleth yesterday where people are pictured queuing to sign a book of condolences Police sit in prayer during the vigil at St. Peters Parish Church as the search enters its fifth night Worried: April Jones has not been seen since Monday evening despite a huge manhunt to find her Vigil: A notice in church saying 'We pray for April Jones and her family' St. Peters Parish Church in Machynlleth where the candle lit vigil was held. A pink cloth is seen tied on the gate entrance in support of the search to find April

HOW A COMMUNITY HAS REFUSED TO GIVE UP HOPE

The tight-knit community of Machynlleth have refused to give up hope that the little girl will be found. Their amazing community spirit continued today as hundreds of food parcels arrived at Machynlleth leisure centre this morning. The parcels arrived for the vast number of crew members spending a sixth day searching for missing five-year-old April Jones. The parcels – made up with food donated by local supermarkets and members of the public – were distributed among members of the emergency services. Arriving in supermarket vans and four-by-fours, the bags of snack bars, fruit, sandwiches and biscuits, were then handed out to volunteers. A woman who lives close to the scene said: 'They have cleared a very specific piece of hillside - they must have a reason to comb through it like that. It isn't a routine search of the area like the others that have been going on. 'They've pulled up all the plants - they must be looking for something definite.' Two women told police they spotted a man carrying a black bag down to the river below the hillside. Carwen Sheen, 36, was chatting to a friend on the opposite river bank when they saw the figure scrambling down a gulley leading to the water's edge.

She confirmed she has given information to police about what she saw and a description of the man she saw at 1pm. Det Supt Bevan reiterated his urgent appeal for information from anyone who saw Bridger or his blue Land Rover Discovery between 6.30pm on Monday and 3.30pm on Tuesday. In a press conference, Superintendent Ian John said that the search for April was continuing with all emergency services including the Coastguard, RNLI, RAF mountain rescue and 150 members of mountain rescue teams from across the UK. They are liaising with more than 60 specially trained search officers. Mr John said: 'Despite the developments of our investigation, our focus here remains on finding April and the search continues.' He added that he was 'completely overwhelmed' by the kindness of members of the public who have provided food and drink for working officers.

Police search teams searching a steep shale bank near a river yesterday morning



A search team looks along the bank of the River Dyfi as the sky darkens

A trained rescue dog wearing a high visibility vest sniffs around buildings in the west of the town

At a morning press conference Superintendent John said that because of the 'significant development' it was no longer appropriate for the many volunteers who had joined the hunt for April to continue searching.

He said: 'We want to acknowledge and are extremely grateful for the efforts of the community volunteers who have supported the professional searchers in trying to locate her.



'They have been a vital part of our team throughout this search operation. Quite frankly, their commitment has been an inspiration to us all.



'The dynamics of the search have now changed and due to the passage of time and the developments within the investigation it is no longer appropriate for us to expect untrained members of the public to continue the search.

'So now we only require professional searchers to be involved in the ongoing search which continues in and around Machynlleth.'



Teachers and pupils at the school attended by April say they refuse to give up hope on her being found safe and well.

Ysgol Gynradd Machynlleth headteacher Gwenfair Glyn said everyone at the school was growing increasingly concerned at the situation.



'But we refuse to give up hope and are praying that April is still alive,' she said.

A police search team go through rubbish at the home of suspect Mark Bridger

Search teams gather at Bridger's rural home as the search goes on to find the little girl

'This week has been the hardest in the school's history - an emotional rollercoaster. But everyone has rallied around and provided tremendous support for the school and its community.

'We are very, very grateful for that.

'Our thoughts are with April's family and friends at this desperately worrying time. We will give them whatever help they need.'



The school has already created a special area in the foyer to demonstrate their support for their missing friend.

Following a request from her family for people to put up pink bows as a show of solidarity, her classmates created small individual heart-shaped messages for April as well as creating a collection of artwork to present to April's family.

And swathes of pink fabric have been placed outside the school gates to show April is still in their thoughts. On Thursday, 16-year-old Jazmin Jones, April's elder sister, urged her abductor to come clean about her whereabouts.

‘Knowing April still isn’t found is making me sick and knowing someone knows something but won’t say it makes me feel even worse,’ she said. ‘I just want our beautiful princess home now – it’s been too long.’ He said officers were trying to piece together Bridger’s movements at the ‘relevant times’. It has also emerged that two children, aged 7 and 11, were almost lured into a car just 24 hours before April disappeared.

A man and a woman apparently tried to abduct the children in Minera, 60 miles from April's home on Sunday, asking them if they wanted a lift because it was wet. An aerial shot of police divers hunting for April's body in the River Dyfi Divers preparing to go under: All avenues are being exhausted in the hunt for April

Police said that all the information and leads they've received following April's disappearance is being investigated by officers.

Earlier this week police revealed they are looking into another failed abduction attempt just over two weeks ago in Aberystwyth, 20 miles away, involving a different type of car to the one said to have been used to abduct April.

Police have been conducting ‘cell-site analysis’ of Bridger’s mobile phone in the hope of tracking his exact movements on the night April vanished, after she was lured into a vehicle by a mystery man as she played with friends. And detectives have reportedly called on the help of one of the world's leading forensic psychologists, who advised British and Portuguese police in the search for Madeleine McCann. Joe Sullivan is said to have been drafted into the police investigation team to give advice on interviewing Bridger, The Times claimed. It was also revealed yesterday that April’s father has been unable to join in the police search for his daughter because he fears he is going blind. Mr Jones is suffering a degenerative eye disease – stopping him joining the hordes of volunteers hunting for April. His sight problems also meant he could not take part in a televised appeal alongside his devastated wife on Wednesday. A close friend and former workmate said: ‘Paul is unable to work because of his eye problems. He wanted to go out and join the search for April on the night she went missing but it would have been difficult for him.’ Solidarity: Pink ribbons have been tied to the fence outside April's home as her family prays for her safe return Pink ribbons are tied around several shop doorways in Machynlleth High Street The family has launched a pink ribbon campaign to help sustain awareness of the search



The search operation in the area around Machynlleth is focusing on 20 sites including woodland, a river and Bridger’s most recent home, a whitewashed cottage in the village of Ceinws, five miles from where April went missing.

At the River Dyfi, dogs able to track a body under water were deployed. Specialist police search teams were being helped in the hunt by a marine unit, mountain rescue, the Coastguard and lifeboat services.

David Cameron said. ‘This is every family’s nightmare and the fact that April suffers from cerebral palsy – something I know a little about from my own children – only makes this worse. My appeal would be to everyone – if you know anything, talk to the police.’ Superintendent John said that the force has received more than 2,500 phone calls with information since launching their appeal. Wearing a pink ribbon in support of a campaign by April's family to raise awareness of the search, Mr John said investigators remain 'determined' to find the little girl. He told reporters the search would continue regardless of the demanding weather conditions, in which search teams have been forced to work through 'difficult terrain'. The search operation has been described as 'one of the largest of its kind in recent history'.

It had been reported that Bridger was a former soldier, but the Ministry of Defence said that he had never been a member of the armed forces. Bridger has children who are known to have played with April in the area where she was snatched, near her home on the Bryn-y-Gog estate where she lives with her mother Coral, 40. Earlier this week it was revealed that April suffers from cerebral palsy.

Brain condition cerebral palsy can hinder development and affect posture, balance and movement, but other than experiencing slight problems with her hands, April tries to live a normal life. A clock tower stands in Machynlleth, Wales. Locals remain hopeful that April may be found alive

Possession: Pictured is what is believed to be April's bicycle outside her house. She was said to have been playing with her bicycle when abducted







Will the river give up a terrible secret? By PAUL HARRIS

There had been so many prayers, so much hope. Everyone had worked tirelessly for four days and nights, trying to find April Jones and return her safely to her family. Now they were looking for a body in the river. And so, with renewed intensity, the search for the missing five-year-old focused on the fast-flowing waters of the River Dovey yesterday in the most concentrated effort of the hunt so far. With specialist teams, plus some of the most sophisticated technology available, every section of the river as it winds towards the sea at Cardigan Bay was being examined by boat, helicopter, on foot and by divers.

Search teams launch boats into the river as it emerges police are now looking for April's body

A sonar boat is used to search the River Dyfi following the disappearance of April Once, this area was renowned only as a beauty spot, a place of majesty and tranquillity. Now it was a potential crime scene teeming with police, mountain rescue teams, coastguard officers and search experts. Somewhere here, it is believed, April’s abductor may have dumped her body after snatching her from outside her home on Monday evening. Somewhere, perhaps, the river will give up the secret of an innocent schoolgirl’s miserable last resting place – and end the agony of uncertainty for her tormented family. So the search yesterday was not simply a race against time and a battle against the elements, but a commitment by everyone involved to allow April some dignity after the despicable crime police are now certain must have befallen her. You could see the change yesterday in every face that came away from the riverbank, every solemn figure in the cluster of men and women when they were told this was now a murder inquiry. The Rev Canon Andrew Jones, the local archdeacon, described the ‘complete silence’ that befell search teams when the news was broken to them. ‘Not the silence of shock,’ he said, ‘but the deep, deep silence of respect.’



Two officers on the River Dyfi as they leave no stone unturned in the hunt for April's body One of the men told me later: ‘We were hoping for a miracle but expecting the worst. There’s still a job to do though, so we won’t give up.’ The search operation was in grim contrast to normal activity in this area, primarily used by tourists, walkers, and anglers after the salmon and trout which inhabit the comparatively unpolluted waters of the Dovey (Dyfi in Welsh). Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant has long standing links with it – he enjoyed family holidays in a cottage here in the 1950s and was inspired to write some of the rock band’s music when he and guitarist Jimmy Page returned to its remote tranquillity in the 1970s. No tranquillity yesterday though. A search team using sonar equipment mounted on a rigid inflatable spent most of the day cruising slowly up and down the river over a three mile stretch either side of the five-arch, ancient stone bridge on the outskirts of Machynlleth, the nearest point to the spot where April disappeared. Police confirmed reports a man had been seen scrambling down a nearby bank carrying a black bag. The sonar equipment sent images back to a screen on the boat, allowing expert eyes to check for unusual objects beneath the surface. Close by, police began to excavate the slope that leads down to the water’s edge, taking stones and other material away. Specialists advised police on where an object could get stuck in the river and how the current was likely to have carried it. Among them was Peter Faulding, who gave evidence at an inquest into the so-called body-in-the-bag spy case earlier this year. Every now and then, helicopters using thermal image cameras made several low-level passes over the river from the sea to about a mile upstream from the bridge. At a less technical level, searchers in kayaks prodded riverbanks and overhanging bushes with long poles, while more on foot walked along the banks or waded in the shallows. Teams in small boats peered into the water through glass-bottom, traffic-cone shaped viewing devices. Dog handlers waited nearby. The sheer scale of the task is likely to keep search teams here for days and involve challenging conditions. Parts of the river are still in flood and locals say some of the pools in its wider parts are up to 30ft deep, and contain the remains of cattle and sheep that have drowned. ‘It’s a nightmare,’ one of the specialists told me. Were they confident of finding April? ‘We’ll do our absolute utmost,’ he said. ‘We owe her that.’