Missing Louise Smith: Body found in search for Havant girl, 16, as police rule death 'suspicious'

Police this week appealed to members of the public to help find the 16-year-old who was last seen at midday on VE Day, May 8, in Somborne Drive, Leigh Park.

No formal identification has been made but family of the Havant teenager have been made aware of the find.

Police said the body was found in Havant Thicket.

On Thursday evening officers closed off the main entrance to Havant Thicket, one of the two areas being searched by police since Saturday.

A Hampshire police spokesman said: ‘We are treating the death as suspicious, and are continuing to investigate the circumstances.’

It comes after a man and a woman, both 29, were arrested on May 15 on suspicion of kidnap and were later released on bail until June 11.

No further arrests have been made. The body was found late morning today.

On Thursday Detective Chief Superintendent Scott Mackechnie said: ‘Today officers located a body in an area of woodland in Havant Thicket.

'We know that news of this discovery will be very upsetting for the community, so I want to reassure you that we will be working around the clock to establish what has happened.

‘We will endeavour to provide you with further updates as soon as we can, but in the meantime we’re asking the community not to speculate on the circumstances, and instead provide all information to the police in the first instance, as this is crucial to helping our enquiries.

‘Thank you to everyone in the community who has offered their support so far and has assisted us with this investigation.’

On Wednesday police released a CCTV image of Louise, captured in Tesco Metro in Greywell Road, Leigh Park, shortly before 7.30pm on Thursday May 7.

Since Saturday police officers and Hampshire Search and Rescue have been conducting searches in Havant Thicket and Staunton Country Park.

Police previously said searches were being carried out in ‘locations we know Louise liked to go or regularly visited in and around the area’.

On Monday Chief Inspector Alex Reading asked for anyone in Leigh Park to check their VE Day photographs and any dashcam footage to see if they may have caught Louise’s final movements before she disappeared.

People have reacted to the news of a body being found during the search with sadness and shock.

Posting on The News’ Facebook page, Demi Claire said: ‘How very sad my thoughts go out to her family and friends.’

Hayley Diane added: ‘This is so sad. Thoughts with the family.’

Lucy Goble said: ‘Oh how sad, I was hoping good news.’

Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting 44200163113 or see mipp.police.uk/operation/44HC20E08-PO1

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