Jayden Parkinson: Graveyard body identified as missing teenager

Didcot residents have been lighting candles in the church near where Jayden's body was found

A body found in a church cemetery is that of missing teenager Jayden Parkinson, police have confirmed.

Post-mortem tests on the body, found in a newly-disturbed grave on Wednesday, failed to find the cause of death.

Jayden, 17, was last seen on 3 December. Her body was discovered in the Great Western Cemetery All Saints' Church in Didcot, Oxfordshire.

Her ex-boyfriend Ben Blakeley, 22, from Reading, appeared in court earlier this week charged with murder.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said further toxicology reports were pending, following the post-mortem.

He added that it could take up to six weeks to find out how she died.

Book of condolence

Jayden was seen leaving Didcot railway station at about 16:30 GMT on 3 December. Her disappearance prompted an extensive search.

On Tuesday police received "significant and highly relevant information" that led their search efforts to an existing grave in the churchyard.

A 17-year-old boy from Didcot, who has been charged with perverting the course of justice, has also appeared in court and is due back on 17 March.

He is accused of assisting in the disposal of Jayden's body and other evidence.

More than 100 officers and detectives have spent much of the past week carrying out intensive forensic searches at several sites in and around Didcot and the nearby village of Upton in a bid to find Jayden.

Didcot residents have been lighting candles in the church, where a book of condolence has been opened and will be given to Jayden's family.