A clown-patterned curtain could be a vital clue to help catch the killer of eight-year-old Sarah Payne.

Detectives investigating her abduction and murder are appealing to the public for information about the distinctive curtain.

Police have not said how the curtain came into the inquiry but say it is vitally important to trace its origins.

Sarah disappeared from Kingston Gorse, near East Preston, where she had been staying with her grandparents, last July 1. Her body was found two weeks later in a field near Pulborough.

The curtain appears to be handmade and unlined, measuring 141cm (55.5in) wide and 186cm (73.2in) long. It has a clown pattern with a blue striped background.

The curtain is believed to be one of a pair and was made some time ago.

A police spokesman said: "The curtain was probably taken down and used for a secondary purpose or disposed of by the original owner.

"We need to know, did you ever have a curtain exactly the same as this or know anyone who did? Where is the other curtain and have you ever seen the same material before? Were you ever involved in the manufacture or supply of this material?"

The curtain will appear on BBC's Crimewatch programme tonight with a fresh appeal for information about Sarah's death.