7 Oct 2012

Man charged with murder of missing child

6:43 am on 7 October 2012

In Britain, a man has been charged with the murder of a missing child.

Mark Bridger, 46, was arrested the day after April Jones, aged five, went missing from near her home in Machynlleth, in Wales, on Monday evening.

He is charged with child abduction and attempting to pervert the course of justice and is due before magistrates in Aberystwyth on Monday.

Dyfed-Powys Chief Constable Jackie Roberts said she had been overwhelmed with the level of help from volunteers in the search for April.

''(This case) has been marked by the coming together of people from across the country with one aim in mind, to return April to her family," she said.

"The community of Machynlleth and the surrounding areas turned out in force using social networks to get the message out and appeal for April's safe return."

The search for April resumed at daybreak on Saturday in and around Machynlleth where she was last seen on the Bryn-y-Gog estate at 7pm BST on Monday.

Superintendent Ian John said the search would continue and April's family would be kept fully updated on progress of the investigation.