The family of murdered schoolgirl Sarah Payne have offered their "heartfelt sympathies" to the parents of 13-year-old Milly Dowler.

Remains believed to be Milly's were found in a woodland near Fleet, Hampshire, after a six-month search.

Sarah's grandmother, Lesley Payne, said the family felt "deeply" for them.

She said: "I can't even say time will heal because for us it still doesn't. Things do get a little easier as time goes on but our heartfelt sympathy goes out to them."

Eight-year-old Sarah vanished from a field in Kingston Gorse, East Preston, in July 2000.

Her body was discovered 17 days later, dumped in a field near Pulborough.

Last year, paedophile Roy Whiting, 43, was jailed for life for abducting and murdering her.

Mrs Payne said Milly's parents would have been hoping beyond hope for the best case scenario, of Milly returning home safe and well.

But with the news that remains discovered in Hampshire are almost certainly those of the youngster her parents and family would, although devastated, now be feeling a sense of "relief" that they can finally say goodbye to her.

Mrs Payne said: "I would have loved her to have been found alive and well but I'm pleased for the parents that she has been found one way or another so they can at least lay her to rest.

"At least they now know where she is and they can say goodbye to her. Our thoughts go out to them - we feel deeply for them."

The hunt for any scrap of evidence which might lead to Milly's killer was under way this morning, six months to the day since she disappeared.

She vanished from Walton-On-Thames, Surrey, in what is believed to be a chance abduction on March 21 as she returned home from school.

Her dental records were yesterday matched with the skeletal remains, bringing the news that her parents Bob, a 51-year-old computer consultant, and Sally, a 43-year-old teacher, had been dreading.