Missing Alice Gross

A reconstruction of the last known movements of missing schoolgirl Alice Gross has been staged in west London. The 14-year-old was last seen on 28 August walking along the Grand Union Canal. Police hope the reconstruction will prompt new information as they continue the hunt for their main suspect, convicted murderer Arnis Zalkalns.



Scotland Yard says it has identified Elthorne Park, west London, as an "area of interest" in its investigation. A Metropolitan Police (Met) statement said: "As part of the ongoing search operation we have identified an area that is currently being assessed. It will be subject to further examination to determine if it is relevant to this investigation. "The area of interest is in Elthorne Park." Alice's family has asked people with information to "please, please help us".



In a statement, they said they were "desperately concerned" for her welfare and "every morning brings new agony" but they were "trying to keep hopeful". Earlier, Alice's father Jose Gross said the scale of the public's help was "extraordinary". Lampposts and postboxes in Hanwell, west London have been decorated with yellow ribbons to raise awareness about the missing teenager.



Detective Superintendent Mehta, said: "Just as Alice reached the [Trumpers Way] bridge it started to rain heavily. Think back and try to remember if you were out and about in that area that afternoon. "It was during the summer holidays and the canal is a really popular place locally.



"We know that Alice loved the rain, so she probably would have kept walking in it rather than seek shelter. There are many paths and turn offs from that canal towpath. We don't know the route that Alice took, so please think back to that Thursday four weeks ago and call us if you can help."

Police hunting for missing schoolgirl Alice Gross last night recovered a body from a river. Alice, 14, has not been seen since she was last caught on CCTV cameras walking across Brentfort lock on the Grand Union Canal, West London a month ago. Scotland Yard announced early today that a body had been discovered in the River Brent.

A spokesman said: “Officers have recovered the body from the water. The body has now been removed from the scene. “Alice’s family has been updated of this development. “Formal identification awaits and a post mortem will be scheduled in due course.” A further update was expected later today.



He added: “We ask the media to give Alice’s family and friends the privacy they require at this difficult time.” More than three hundred officers from over a dozen forces across the country have been involved in the hunt for Alice. Yellow ribbons have adorned homes and railings in west London where officers have conducted a finger tip search for clues.

The prime suspect in the case is Arnis Zalkalns, 41, a convicted Latvian killer who has not been seen since Alice disappeared from her home in Hanwell, West London. Zalkalns was jailed for seven years in Latvia for stabbing his wife Rudite, 22, in the heart and burying her body 17 years ago. The Met said that the hunt for Alice was their biggest search operation since the 7/7 terror attacks in London in 2005. They had been searching along the River Brent since last week.



Police had been desperate to find any clues in their hunt for Alice including her personal belongings such as her mobile phone but had drawn a blank. A large section of the Grand Union canal was cordoned off last week after police found a disturbed patch of earth which they said was of “interest."

However, it was later revealed that it was a false alarm. At one point pollice sniffer dogs used in searches for both Madeleine McCann and April Jones joined the hunt. 600 officers from eight forces were involved in the hunt for Alice, painstakingly searching nine square miles of open land and 3.4 miles of canals and river. A reward of up to £20,000 had been offered for anyone with information that lead detectives to find the schoolgirl.