Parents' anguish over April

April Jones' parents have admitted the "pain doesn't get any easier" at a news conference, 10 weeks after she went missing in Machynlleth, Wales. Local man Mark Bridger has been charged with the five-year-old's murder.

Latest ITV News reports

Advertisement

Police: No end date on April search

Dyfed Powys Police said the search for April Jones would continue until there is nowhere left to look.

In a statement released today, the force said:

We will keep looking untilwe are satisfied that we have exhausted all lines of enquiry. We are notputting an end date on the operation, and we are not willing to speculate howmuch longer it will last, but we will say that we are committed to stay here untilwe can be sure that there are no more viable places to look for April’s body.

They added that the search had taken in a huge range of locations and terrains:

This is one of the largest search operations in the UK in police history.

Specialist teams from other agencies and organisations have been searching rivers and the sea; mines and quarries; and various other confined spaces on the hillsides of Machynlleth.

Volunteers from a number of mountain rescue teams have walked for miles over the mountain sides all working together looking for clues and evidence that may help us find April.

April's parents thankful for messages of support

The parents of missing April Jones released a statement today, which can be viewed in full on the Dyfed-Powys Police website:

It has been ten weeks since April, our beautiful little girl, was taken from us and the pain of our tragic loss doesn’t get any easier to bear.

The messages and support from all over the world have continued and we remain grateful that we are in people’s thoughts and prayers. The empathy shown towards us by not only local people but those from afar has shown us that people really do come together during difficult times.

The dedication and determination shown by the search teams who have come from all over the UK has been truly amazing. We take comfort to think that they will be returning to their families to earn a well deserved rest over the Christmas and New Year period.

We understand that Christmas will be a particularly difficult time without April being amongst us but as parents of Harley and Jazmin we will obviously acknowledge the festive season as best as we can. We sincerely hope that families around the world will enjoy a peaceful and loving Christmas.

– Coral and Paul Jones

Advertisement

The hunt for missing April Jones

  • April was last seen at about 7pm on October 1 2012 playing out on her bike with friends on the Bryn-y-Gog estate.
  • She had been allowed to stay up later after getting a glowing school report earlier in the day.
  • Her disappearance prompted a massive search by police, specialist teams and hundreds of volunteers but no trace of her was found.
  • Local man Mark Bridger, 47, was charged with murder, child abduction and perverting the course of justice.
Load more updates