Victim Ashleigh’s family plant bulbs in her memory

On Saturday, Andrea Hall was joined by her father, one of her three other daughters and friends to remember Ashleigh.

The emotional event was held in the heart of the community where Ashleigh lived.

They planted pink tulip and daffodil bulbs on a patch of land in Newton Lane, Cockerton, Darlington, and others by the side of her home in nearby Warwick Square.

Some of the flowers will form Ashleigh’s initials.

The ceremony came less than a week after Ashleigh died. She went to meet a man she had contacted on social networking internet site Facebook, who she believed to be a 16-year-old boy.

When she failed to return home as planned the following day, her mother rang Ashleigh’s phone 30 times until it was answered by a police officer.

Her body was found in a field near Sedgefield, County Durham.

On Friday, Ms Hall spoke in public for the first time about her daughter, who she described as her rock, saying she was “bubbly, lively and lovely” and a bit of a chatterbox.

On Saturday, she helped to plant bulbs with her daughter, Olivia, six, and addressed the crowd to thank them.

Ms Hall told The Northern Echo: “I am really pleased that everyone has come here today. It shows that Ashleigh was well-loved and it shows the community spirit.”

Talking about Ashleigh, she said: “I am devastated. I cannot explain how I feel because I just do not know.

“I am glad I have got all my friends that are here today.”

Ms Hall’s father, Mike, is a gardener, and Ashleigh often helped him with the work.

He said: “This is marvellous.

I am a gardener and appreciate what the community is doing.”

Mr Hall, who identified Ashleigh’s body, said: “I lost my own mother two years ago. I had so much grief and sorrow.

“This is like someone has pulled out your heart. She was a proper grandad’s girl.”

The idea for the ceremony was ward councillor Jenny Chapman’s.

She said: “We wanted to plant some bulbs to brighten the area up. When we heard about the news, we contacted Andrea to see how she felt about it. She agreed it would be a great way to remember Ashleigh.”

A representative from Darlington College, where Ashleigh was studying childcare, was also there. The college plans to have its own memorial for Ashleigh and will speak to students when they return today.

■ Peter Chapman, 32, of no fixed address, has been charged with manslaughter, kidnap and failing to identify a new address as required by the Sex Offences Act.

He is due to appear at Teesside Crown Court tomorrow.