Parents and their children, business owners and workers have festooned Hanwell with yellow ribbons today to keep missing Alice Gross in people's minds.

Railings, lamp posts, bus stops and gates are covered in ribbons today as parents and their children, business owners and workers have all rallied together in the hope that Alice will be found safe and brought home.

Amy Skehan handing flowers to Mary Lazarides from Pitshanger

Wholesalers of ribbons across West London sold out this week as thousands of people wanted to wear ribbons and decorate their streets to raise awareness of the Brentside school girl's disappearance.

Ealing Council has agreed that the ribbons will not be taken down and has supported the community campaign to #FindAlice by adding a yellow ribbon to its logo on Twitter.

Brentside High School in Hanwell, where Alice is a pupil, and the Alec Reed Academy in Northolt also held a Yellow Ribbon Day.

Alice's mother Rosalind Hodgkiss said: "We have been out briefly and have been really touched by the astonishing number of yellow ribbons for Alice. Thank you so much for all your support. Let's hope that today is the day that we  ‪#‎FindAlice‬ ."

Lorraine Jones of Memory Lane florists in Greenford Avenue, Hanwell said: "I'm a mother of two daughters and a son and the very thought that this could happen to one of them makes my stomach turn. I cannot even imagine what Alice's family are going through it is too horrendous to comprehend. The yellow ribbon campaign is the very least we can do.

Hair dresser Kayleigh Seaber, of Angela Francis hair salon, said: "Alice used to come to us to get her hair coloured all the time. She was just a normal happy 14-year-old and it was always lovely to see her. We just want her home. Making and distributing the yellow ribbons was the least we could do. I can't believe the transformation of Hanwell. It has proved to be such a strong community. Literally everyone has come together to try to bring Alice home."

Hanwell Association of Traders also covered lampposts, trees and shops with yellow ribbons throughout the town centre on Thursday morning.

The administrators of the Find Alice Gross Facebook group said: “We would like to thank the large number of local businesses who have been so very generous with their time and resources to help distribute yellow ribbons to raise awareness of the #FindAlice campaign and to help the community show its support and concern.”

Police have this morning confirmed the contents found in  missing 14-year-old Alice Gross' rucksack.

The bag was found by police on September 2  in the undergrowth on the footpath that runs beside the River Brent between Hanwell Bridge and the Grand Union Canal.

Inside there were the pair of Vans trainers she was believed to be wearing when she left home on August 28, underwear, her lunch box and the rubbish from her lunch.