A post mortem on the body of murdered Hanwell schoolgirl Alice Gross will continue today at Uxbridge Mortuary.

It began on Wednesday after Alice's body was recovered from the River Brent on Tuesday night and "due to the complex nature" of the investigation, more time is required to complete the examination.

Police announced last night that the body was indeed the missing 14-year-old, confirming the worst fears of her family and community.

Alice's parents Rosalind Hodgkiss and Jose Gross said in a statement: "We have been left completely devastated by the recent developments and it is difficult to comprehend that our sweet and beautiful daughter was the victim of a terrible crime. Why anyone would want to hurt her is something that we are struggling to come to terms with."

Alice Gross police search the River Brent
Alice Gross police search the River Brent

The family has requested that their privacy be respected to allow them time to grieve.

Meanwhile yellow ribbons, the symbol of Hanwell's support for the search for Alice - who had been missing since August 28 - remain around the town.

The search continues for 41-year-old Arnis Zalkalns, a Latvian builder who had been living in Ealing, who is the prime suspect in the Alice Gross murder. He was filmed cycling along the Grand Union Canal 15 minutes after Alice had walked along it on the day she disappeared, and has himself been missing since September 3.

Zalkalns served seven years in prison in Latvia for bludgeoning his wife Rudite to death and burying her in the woods. Ealing MPs have demanded answers as to how the convicted murderer was allowed to settle in the UK.

Arnis Zalkalns is the prime suspect in the murder of Alice Gross. Photo credit: Phil Harris, Mirror News
Arnis Zalkalns is the prime suspect in the murder of Alice Gross. Photo credit: Phil Harris, Mirror News