Becky Watts: Bristol churches hold prayer vigils, stepbrother charged with murder

Reuters

St Ambrose Church in Bristol is to be opened from 10:30am to 9pm today and tomorrow for mourners to light candles and say prayers in memory of teenager Becky Watts.

A book of condolence has also been placed in the church, the nearest to Becky's home in St George, Bristol.

The vicar, Rev David James, has opened the church for prayers and reflection for any who wish to drop in after police found body parts at a house in Bristol. 

On Tuesday afternoon, police confirmed that Becky's stepbrother Nathan Matthews had been charged with her murder. His girlfriend, Shauna Hoare, has been charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Becky, 16, was last seen on 19 February.

Det Supt Mike Courtiour, of Avon and Somerset Police, said officers went to a house at Barton Court in the Barton Hill area of the city after receiving new information on Monday night.

He said: "The information suggested that Becky's body had been cut up and a search at the new location resulted in the discovery of body parts. Although formal identification procedures have not yet been completed, we have made Becky's family aware of this discovery."

Flowers have been placed at both addresses.

Det Supt Courtiour said: "This is devastating news for Becky's family and friends and our thoughts are with them. We will continue to offer every support we can to them during this terrible ordeal."

Rev Martin Gainsborough, priest-in-charge of St Luke's Barton Hill, near where some of her family live and the body was found, opened his church this afternoon and this evening for people to sign a book of condolence, to drop in to pray and have a cup of coffee.

He said: "The first thing to say is what an utter tragedy this terrible business is. The church, along with the community, is in shock at what has happened in our midst. We are really trying at this stage just to be here for people in their grief as a Christian place of worship and a church. Usually these are things you hear about in a distant city. When it is right on your doorstep it is very shocking for people."

The Bishop of Bristol, Rt Rev Mike Hill, said: "This is just a shocking, shocking business, and what it must be like for her poor family I cannot begin to imagine.

"The family have acted with great dignity. The family have made reference to the fact that it will be the people around them who will get them through this and I think they publicly thanked people for the level of support they've got.

"It beggars belief to know what they [the family] are going through and it sounds like today is going to be another difficult day as well."