Katie Rough death: Killed girl's parents relive body find

Paul and Alison Rough found their daughter on a playing field in Woodthorpe

The parents of seven-year-old Katie Rough have described the moment they found their daughter's body and spoken of their struggle to move on.

Paul and Alison Rough's daughter was found on a playing field in Woodthorpe, York, on 9 January with serious injuries to her neck and body. She later died in hospital.

Mrs Rough said: "I saw her injuries and I knew she was gone."

A 16-year-old girl has pleaded guilty to her manslaughter.

More stories from across Yorkshire

Katie Rough died in hospital after suffering serious injuries to her neck and chest

Mrs Rough told BBC Look North: "We found her at the same time as a police officer found her. I cradled her. I saw her injuries and I knew she was gone. It's impossible to describe.

"We just held each other as the police officer started CPR and then the ambulance arrived and carried on the CPR, but we knew, we had seen her. We knew she was gone.

"They put us in a police van and blue-lighted us to the hospital. All our family came."

Mrs Rough said it was "quite a while" before doctors came to speak to the family, but added that they "they didn't have to tell me".

"We went in to see her and the rest is a blur. The next few days were an absolute blur.

"It was just the darkest. I never knew that I could feel something so terrible.

"There's no words for how we felt. It was just absolute devastation."

Hundreds of people took part in a balloon release just days after Katie's death to mark what would have been her eighth birthday.

Large crowds also attended a fun day held last month in York.

Mr Rough paid tribute to the support of the local community and the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, for helping them cope with the loss of their daughter.

He said Dr Sentamu had been "their rock".

"Without all the support I think we'd be in a far worse place now," he added.

"We're living day by day. We will see a future eventually I think but right now it's all in the moment.

"We've always got the memories though."