Candlelit vigil held in Swanage for Gaia Pope Published duration 25 November 2017 Related Topics Gaia Pope case

image copyright PA image caption People brought flowers and candles to the vigil in Swanage

A "wave of love and solidarity" was displayed by those attending a candlelit vigil in honour of Gaia Pope.

The 19-year-old from Langton Matravers, Dorset, was reported missing on 7 November. Her body was found 11 days later in a nearby field.

Her family thanked the volunteers who searched for Gaia in the Swanage area.

Miss Pope's cousin, Marienna Pope Weidemann, said: "Gaia has done once again what she did so often in life - she has brought us all closer together.

"I've never known anything like the wave of love and solidarity that came from this community and that I see here today."

image copyright PA image caption Gaia Pope's sister, Clare Pope-Sutherland, and father, Richard Sutherland, attended the vigil

Scores of people brought flowers to the vigil at Swanage amphitheatre and many placed candles in glass jars near a floral tribute spelling GAIA below a framed picture of Miss Pope.

Grieving friends and family members, including her father Richard Sutherland, addressed those gathered, who observed a minute's silence.

Mr Sutherland said: "All that support you gave is tremendously heart-warming and something that at such a difficult time helps us very much.

"We will carry her memory for the rest of our lives."

image copyright PA image caption Gaia Pope's body was found 11 days after she went missing

image copyright PA image caption Scores of people attended the event at Swanage amphitheatre

Dorset Police is treating her death as "unexplained", pending toxicology results.