Pupils and staff at murdered student Sally Geeson's former school held prayers for her during morning assembly.

Sally left at Southend High School for Girls around six years ago, but has not been forgotten.

Pupils were given a moment of silence to reflect on Sally and to pray for her family.

Headteacher David Mansfield said: "Last week when we first heard she may have been abducted we decided to have some quiet prayer time during assembly on our first day back on the Wednesday.

"Yesterday, the children again stood in silence for a moment of prayer to think about Sally. We wrote to the family last week to tell them if there was anything we could do to help we would. We have written to them again to say if they need our help we will support them in any way we can.

"With her fiery red hair and having an identical twin Sally always stood out - but she was intelligent, good at exams and really popular with pupils and staff."

Sally also sang in the Southend Girls' Choir, which included youngsters from many schools in the borough but used to rehearse at the same school she attended.