Friends of murdered student interviewed

Police investigating the death of a 17-year-old dance student yesterday interviewed friends and neighbours to build up a detailed picture of the girl's last days.

Police investigating the death of a 17-year-old dance student yesterday interviewed friends and neighbours to build up a detailed picture of the girl's last days.

Staffordshire Police said they were making house-to-house inquiries and forensic tests at the spot in Tamworth where Heather Tell's body was found. The teenager, who was studying for a BTec in performing arts, had been due to meet a girlfriend outside the Belgrave Dance studio in Kettlebrook Linear Park between 8.30 and 8.45 on Friday evening. When she failed to turn up, her friend raised the alarm.

A family friend, who had joined a police search, found Heather's body on Sunday in the park, in some bushes near a footpath leading to the A5 road. She had been asphyxiated.

A police spokeswoman said more than 50 officers were working on the case. She said: "We're continuing our extensive house-to-house inquiries and a detailed forensic examination of the scene where Heather's body was found.

"We're also following up a number of lines of inquiry of people who knew Heather, in order to build up a detailed picture of her life and her movements from when she left her house at about 8pm on Friday."