DETECTIVES last night named a teenager found dead after she arranged to meet a man she had befriended on the internet.

A 32-year-old man is being questioned on suspicion of murdering 17-year-old Ashleigh Hall, from Darlington, whose body was found in a field near Sedgefield, County Durham, on Monday night.

Friends of the teenager, who was studying child-care at Darlington College, said she had met a man over the internet who claimed to be 16.

Last night, Ashleigh’s mother, Andrea, posted a message on the internet which simply said: “My beautiful daughter has been taken away from me.”

Later today, police are expected to release the results of a post-mortem examination carried out at Darlington Memorial Hospital, which should reveal the cause of Ashleigh’s death.

Detective Superintendent Andy Reddick, who is leading the investigation for Durham Police, said Ashleigh was last seen by her family shortly after 7pm on Sunday.

The former Hurworth School pupil told her mother she planned to stay overnight at a friend’s house and promised she would be back by Monday lunchtime.

When she failed to return to her home in Warwick Square, her mother became worried.

She repeatedly rang her daughter’s mobile phone to try to find out where she was, but could not get a reply.

Detectives said they believed Ashleigh had met a man on the internet.

Officers are working on the theory that this was the first time they had met face-toface.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Harker said: “This is a very tragic case that came about from a strange set of circumstances.”

The discovery came after Cleveland Police stopped a man for minor traffic offences on the A177, near Sedgefield, at about 5.40pm on Monday.

Det Chief Supt Harker said police had been acting on information received and the man was taken to Middlesbrough police station.

While he was being held in the cells he asked to speak to detectives.

He told them he knew the whereabouts of a body and offered to take police to the scene.

Officers were led to a back lane near a Little Chef restaurant and Travelodge hotel, on a roundabout between the A177 and A689 roads.

They found Ashleigh’s body down a small embankment beside the road at about 11pm.

The man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder.

The area was immediately cordoned off, a police guard was set up overnight and a tent erected at the scene.

Forensics experts and a Home Office pathologist yesterday combed the scene for evidence.

Det Chief Insp Harker said that the girl was fully clothed when she was found and there was no indication she had been sexually assaulted.

Detectives are appealing for help to trace the movements of a dark blue Ford Mondeo, registration S148JNK, between 7pm on Sunday and 5.40pm on Monday.

Police were last night still trying to establish the identity of the arrested man, who was being detained at Darlington police station.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Harker said: “He has given us a couple of different names and we are trying to establish through fingerprints his identity.”

It is understood he is from the Merseyside area and may have links with the Stockton area, but is said to be of no fixed address.

Detective Superintendent Andy Reddick said the case should act as a stark reminder about the risks of meeting people via the internet, particularly during the school holidays.

He said: “Please do not meet people from the internet unless you are certain it is safe.

My message to parents is to monitor what your children are doing, do not let them hide away doing things on their own. Speak to them about it; speak to their friends, let them know the dangers of the internet.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0345-60-60-365 or Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111.