Best friend tells of finding Naomi's body

The best friend of the murdered schoolgirl Naomi Smith yesterday told how she had found the 15-year-old slaughtered in a school playground 100 yards from her parents' home in Ansley Common, Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Emma Jones, 15, had been with Naomi's father on Thursday night when they found her sexually mutilated body under a climbing frame. Police said that her throat had been cut "from ear to ear".

Yesterday she appealed for the "evil" killer of her friend to be caught. She told a news conference: "I saw what that evil person did to her. I don't think I will ever forget what I found. Her family and I will find it hard to live without her.

"Someone must know who he is. Someone must have seen something. Someone must have seen the blood on his clothes. That someone must tell the police before it happens again.

"This evil person does not deserve to be on this earth after what he has done to Naomi."

Emma described her friend as "the kindest, most generous person I've ever known. My life has been shattered as well as her family's". She added that Naomi had been the victim of school bullying.

Detective Superintendent Tony Bayliss, leading the investigation, said that police were looking for a gang of youths in connection with the murder. He said: "We want to hear from anyone who saw three or four youths on the green opposite Naomi's house sometime between 10pm and 11pm on the night of the offence.

"One of these youths was distinctly shorter than the others. One witness saw the youths running towards the main road. I would ask these youths to come forward and speak to us."

Emma had last met Naomi on Thursday night at rehearsals for the Nuneaton marching band. She said: "Naomi came along with me to support me. I was playing the xylophone and she was just helping.

"We gave her a lift from the rehearsal to her house and let her walk in. That was it. I never saw her after that time."