Forensic tests today revealed a scrap of blue cloth thought to be a clue was not from murdered Sarah Payne's dress.

The material, similar to the dress the eight-year-old was wearing when she vanished, was discovered in the grounds of Bramber Castle.

Bramber lies a few miles south east of Pulborough, where Sarah's naked body was discovered a week ago today.

Detectives hunting the killer had hoped it would be another breakthrough in their hunt for the killer.

But today forensic tests showed it was the wrong type of material .although the colour was similar to the Fred Perry sports dress worn by the youngster when she disappeared from a field near her grandparents house in Kingston Gorse on July 1.

Detectives are still waiting for the results on what is believed to be Sarah's right shoe, which was discovered in a hedge at Coolham, near Billingshurst.

The youngster had been left in a shallow grave in a field just off the A29 near Brinsbury College.

The discovery of part of another shoe near West Chiltington by a member of the public on Saturday night was later discovered to have nothing to do with the youngster.

In the meantime, detectives were today sifting through numerous statements received from drivers stopped during a police road-block set up on the A29 on Saturday night.

Police questioned more than 2,000 drivers travelling north and south between 6pm on Saturday and 10am the following morning to see if they had been in the area three weeks ago when Sarah disappeared and whether they could remember anything of note.

Detectives were also questioning people at local events in the area, including a car boot sale at the Toat Cafe on the A29, a golf course near Brinsbury Park and a vintage vehicle rally at Pulborough.

Throughout the weekend hundreds of families went to Pulborough to pay their respects and read the numerous messages left for Sarah and her family near the spot where her body was found.

As the pile of flowers continued to grow the reactions of visitors to the scene showed that emotions were still running high.

People fought back tears of grief and for some it became almost too much to bear and they had to be taken away to bring themselves under control.

Mixed with the sadness was anger and bitterness towards Sarah's killer with many visitors calling for the return of the death penalty.

Sarah Hopkins, 24, from Horsham, said: "Once they catch this person he should be hanged. He does not deserve to live after what he did to that young child."

James Havers, 43, his wife Caroline, 39, and their ten-year-old daughter Anna, drove from Eastbourne to leave a bouquet with the message: "Our thoughts are with you and your family. Bless you princess."

Mr Havers said: "It is a terrible, terrible thing to happen.

"We have been following the story on the news and Anna started crying when she heard that Sarah had been found dead.

"I just hope they get the person responsible for this and lock him up for life. He never deserves to be able to walk the streets again."

Further developments at the weekend included the decision by farmer Paul Langmead to withdraw his claim for compensation for damage done to his field during the police search for Sarah.

Mr Langmead of Roundstone Farm, Ferring, made the decision in the face of increasing anger following the Argus' revelation of his claim on Friday.