The grandfather of missing schoolgirl Sarah Payne broke down in tears and shook uncontrollably as he read letters to the eight-year-old written by her brothers and sister.

Terry Payne sobbed as he told how Sarah's youngest sister, Charlotte, six, kept asking her mother: "Where's Sarah, Mummy, where's Sarah?"

He said: "She runs up and down the rooms looking for her and she's not there. It's very sad."

Mr Payne read out two letters written by the children and decorated with hearts and kisses by Charlotte.

Her letter read: "Please let her go because I love her, I love her, I love her, and please give her a rose and I will give her loads of kisses because I love her so much, much, much. When we bring her back I will give her something special. I love, I love, I love you so much. I love you Sarah."

It was signed in a childish scrawl by Charlotte P.

It was the first time Mr Payne, whose home Sarah's family was visiting when she disappeared last Saturday, had spoken to the media and he told of the unimaginable strain the disappearance had put on them.

He said: "We are a strong family. We're sticking together. We're going to get through this."

He added that Sarah's father Mike and her mother Sara were spending the day "recharging their batteries."

He added: "They've been through a hell of a situation.

"If there's anybody out there who knows anything please ring us, that's all we want you to do. We love one another so much and we always have done. We're always visiting and doing things together."

Mr Payne said Lee and Luke were crying a lot and Charlotte kept asking for her older sister, who has not been seen since she disappeared from a field near her grandparents' home at Ferring more than a week ago.

A second letter signed by Lee, 13, Luke 11, Charlotte and their mother and father, read: "To Sarah. If you're reading this, please come home. We all miss you and want you back quick.

"We'll find you, no matter what. We have a surprise for you when you come home. If anyone has got her, let her go. We need her back. We can't cope without her.

"We'll be looking forward to seeing her again. You're a little princess in the eyes of everyone and we'll always love you, no matter what."

Mr Payne, who was joined at the news conference by his wife Lesley and Sarah's uncle, Paul Williams, shook as he read the letters.

He said: "It's tearing our family apart. Somebody's got Sarah and we want her back."