The family of murdered schoolgirl Sarah Payne were today making a Christmas Day visit to her grave.

As the rest of the country celebrated the festive season, the Payne family faced the torment of their first Christmas without Sarah.

They said they would leave presents at the graveside and spend time together there this morning.

The eight-year-old's mother Sara admitted the family were "dreading" it and it would be very difficult for herself, husband Michael and children Lee, 13, Luke, 11, and six-year-old Charlotte.

She said: "We will see Sarah on Christmas morning and we will give her a few bits that are private to us.

"We will be spending Christmas together at a friend's house because Michael and myself do not feel we can do it at home.

"We are dreading it and we do not know how we will get through it but we will.

"It's a strange feeling in the house. There are no Christmas decorations up although the children do want to put up Sarah's stocking.

"Sarah adored Christmas and she loved all special days. She was the one that gave us all the excitement - making cards and paper chains. She was always up at 4am.

"Really we cannot face it but it will come whether we want it to or not. For the children's sake we will try and make it as special as we can."

Sarah, from Hersham in Surrey, disappeared from a field near her grandparents' home at Kingston Gorse, near East Preston, on July 1.

Her partially buried body was found 16 days later just off the A29 near Pulborough. Her killer has still not been caught.