Missing Amber Peat: Body found in Mansfield

Police sealed off an area close to a path and road about a mile from Amber's home

A body has been found by police searching for a 13-year-old girl who had been missing for nearly three days.

Amber Peat was last seen at home in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire on Saturday.

Formal identification has yet to take place but police said they were not treating the death as suspicious.

The body was found on Tuesday evening near a path close to houses in Westfield Lane about a mile from Amber's home. Police at the scene said the area had been searched earlier.

Her family have been informed and have asked for privacy.

Police thanked all who had helped in the search, particularly the Mansfield community.

Hundreds of volunteers came forward to search for Amber and put up posters

Some residents expressed surprise the discovery of the body, between two busy roads, had not been made earlier.

Yolanda Cassidy, who lives next to the site, said: "It is a very public area. I wondered if she had climbed over gates [into a nearby property] but they have dogs so I can't imagine she would be in there.

"I went shopping on Monday and walked across there. People are back and forth, it's nearly a main road, people go up and down. I can't believe she's been there since Saturday."

Police officers have also informally confirmed they had searched the area since Amber went missing.

A post-mortem examination is due to be carried out later.

On Tuesday morning, Amber's mother and stepfather said her disappearance was "completely out of character".

Kelly and Danny Peat, who had just returned from holiday with Amber, confirmed she had left her home in Bosworth Street without her mobile phone or any money.

Pupils who went to the same school as Amber have been among those who laid flowers at the scene

They had issued an emotional plea for her to return, breaking down in tears as they spoke at a police news conference.

Mr Peat said: "We had just all had a brilliant holiday. It's just not right.

"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."

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

Up to 300 people were involved in searches on Monday and Tuesday, with posters being placed in many houses and shops.

Supt Matthew McFarlane, of Nottinghamshire Police, said she had been "out of the house perhaps for a few hours" prior to going missing.