The bodies of 10-year-old murder victims Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman were removed late last night from woods at Lakenheath, Suffolk, and taken to Addenbrooks hospital in Cambridge for further forensic examination. Eithne Donnellan reports from Soham
Police in Cambridgeshire said they were as certain as they possibly could be that the bodies were those of the girls who went missing two weeks ago.
"It may be some days yet before we are able to positively identify the two bodies," acting chief deputy constable Mr Keith Hoddy told a press conference in Soham."However, we are as certain as we possibly can be tonight that they are those of Holly and Jessica."
Earlier yesterday, the two people arrested on Saturday on suspicion of the murder of Holly and Jessica, appeared before magistrates at separate closed hearings. Warrants were granted to police to detain Ian Huntley (28) and Maxine Carr (25) for a further 36 hours.
The period of their detention can be extended to a maximum of 96 hours, by which time they will have to be released or charged.
Last night police officers said a number of lines of inquiry were still being followed. They continued to comb the area where the bodies were found and searches of Soham Village College, where Mr Huntley was caretaker, continued after the search of the local primary school that was attended by Holly and Jessica. A local garage was also being searched.
The girls' bodies were found by walkers around lunchtime on Saturday in a wooded area close to a US airbase about 15 miles from the girls' homes. The Home Office pathologist, Dr Nat Cary, visited the scene yesterday to carry out a preliminary examination of the bodies.
Mr Huntley, who worked as caretaker at local secondary school Soham Village College, has admitted he was among the last to see the girls alive. He said when he last saw them they were "as happy as Larry". Ms Carr worked as an assistant teacher in St Andrew's primary school where Holly and Jessica were students.
The couple were being detained at separate police stations in Cambridgeshire.
Mr Hoddy said the "terrible news" had been broken to the Wells and Chapman families, who have given him statements to read to the press. Mr Leslie and Ms Sharon Chapman, Jessica's parents, said they wanted to thank everybody for their kindness and support. "Whilst we appreciate your support and all your assistance in this very trying time, we would like as a family for you to respect our privacy and allow us some time alone," they said.
Holly's parents, Mr Kevin and Ms Nicola Wells, said they were still numb at losing their gorgeous daughter. They too thanked everyone for their help and support.
Hundreds of floral tributes to the dead girls were placed outside St Andrew's Church in Soham yesterday. Flowers too were laid at Lakenheath were the girls' bodies were found.
A meeting of the primary schools governors takes place tonight to decide whether the school should re-open and to discuss how they will help the other students in the school cope with the tragic outcome of what began as a missing persons case and sparked one of the biggest police investigations ever in Britain.