Southampton's touching tribute to missing April Jones (From Daily Echo)

Shrine to missing schoolgirl as Mark Bridger appears in court charged with her murder

6:09am Monday 8th October 2012 in News By Jon Reeve, Education Reporter

A poignant line of teddy bears and children’s toys has been left as the people of Southampton’s touching tribute to missing Welsh schoolgirl April Jones.

A banner erected in East Park bears the message that people have not given up hope the five-year-old, missing since last Monday when she was seen getting into a van in her home town of Machynllyth, will be found alive.

Pink ribbons, the symbol of the frantic search for April, have also been tied around the banner and a tree.

Despite the fact the little schoolgirl is still missing, today 46-year-old Mark Bridger was due to appear before magistrates in Aberystwyth accused of her murder.

The former lifeguard, arrested last Tuesday, also faces charges of child abduction and perverting the course of justice.