ARREST AFTER TEEN’S BODY FOUND IN PARK

Student death horror cops to quiz man, 47

PROBE: Forensic officer gathers clues at park

POLICE last night arrested a 47-year-old man on suspicion of murdering teenager Ellen Higginbottom.

Student Ellen, 18, was found dead at a beauty spot in Wigan after being reported missing by her family at 7.20pm on Friday.

Her friends said she had been walking near the reservoirs at Orrell Water Park.

Greater Manchester Police searched the location and discovered a body at the edge of a field at around 2.30am on Saturday.

A post-mortem examination gave the youngster’s cause of death as multiple wounds to the neck following an attack of such severity it shocked detectives.

Yesterday police arrested a man from Wigan on suspicion of murder and were last night waiting to question him.

Shocking

Det Supt Howard Millington, from Greater Manchester Police’s major incident team, said: “This is an absolute tragedy.

“My thoughts are with Ellen’s family and friends.

“What they must be going through is unimaginable.

“We are also working with Wigan Council and Winstanley College, where Ellen was a pupil, to ensure support is in place for anyone affected by this shocking incident.”

The keen singer and horse rider was studying for her A-Levels.

College bosses tweeted that students were “deeply shocked and mourning the loss of a wonderful young woman”.

They added: “Students please stay safe when walking to and from college.”

Ellen’s boyfriend Ryan Warren, also 18 and a drummer for the band in which she sang, had joined others scouring the streets for her.