Tragedy as missing boy is confirmed dead

A body found in a river yesterday was that of a 13-year-old who went missing on Christmas Eve, police confirmed today.

Jordan Trowsdale, from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, was last seen at a skate park in The Causeway in the town at around 5.45pm on Thursday.

He was reported missing by his concerned family that evening, and after a massive search operation police divers yesterday recovered a body from the River Stort in Bishop's Stortford.

Today a Hertfordshire Police spokeswoman confirmed the body was that of the missing teenager.

She said: "We can now confirm that it is missing 13-year-old Jordan Trowsdale from Bishop's Stortford.

"A post mortem is due to be carried out in the coming few days.

"The family do not wish to make a comment at this moment and have requested that they be left alone at this difficult time."

Several groups have been set up on social networking site Facebook for Jordan, one with more than a thousand members.

On the page, entitled RIP Jordan Trowsdale, a message describes the teen as: "such a lovely person".

It says: "He'd never fail to make someone smile. He only ever wanted people to be happy. Now that he's gone, there's always going to be a gap. Please post any messages you wish."

Torin Thomas wrote: "Jordan was one of the best ppl ever and was a person who always liked to smile and now that he has gone things wont be very happy but we still live on but he will never be forgotten by everyone especially me RIP jordan we will miss u forr eternity :("

According to the page, several remembrance gigs have also been organised in memory of the 13-year-old.