Family and MPs’ shock at tragedy

THE family of Bobbi-Anne McLeod have thanked members of the public for their support after it was announced a body had been found in the search for the missing 18-year-old.

Close friend and neighbour Amanda Isaacs passed on a message on behalf of BobbiAnne’s family, paying tribute to the 18-year-old and asking for privacy after their loss.

She said: “The family just need privacy to grieve but they can’t thank everyone enough for their love and support.”

Amanda said the teenager had “her whole life ahead of her”.

A tribute was put on the GoFundMe page which Amanda has set up for the family.

She wrote: “I am a close friend and neighbour of Bobbi and her family. Unfortunately it has been confirmed after three days of searching she has sadly been taken from us.

“She was a beautiful young girl, aged only 18, with her whole life ahead of her. As you can imagine, her family are going through hell, so would like this fundraiser to even help take the stress away of all this.

Amanda said Bobbi-Anne “deserves the best send-off”.

Meanwhile, Plymouth Sutton and Devonport MP Luke Pollard said that following the Keyham shootings, the disappearance of Bobbi-Anne and the discovery of a body marked “another dark day for our city”.

In a post on Twitter, following an update from Devon and Cornwall Police, he said: “It is devastating news for our city that a body has been discovered in the search for missing Bobbi-Anne.”

Mr Pollard has been supporting the people of Keyham following the shooting in August, in which five innocent people died at the hands of gunman Jake Davison.

Johnny Mercer, the MP for Plymouth Moor View, also spoke of his shock at the discovery of the body at Bovisand, near Plymouth, following BobbiAnne’s disappearance.

Mr Mercer said he had sent his “thoughts and prayers” to the family of Bobbi-Anne McLeod. In a statement he went on: “I’m devastated that something like this could happen in Plymouth. We are a close-knit, deeply proud and community-centred city.

“I remain in close communication with Devon and Cornwall Police and other local community leaders. All of our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Bobbi-Anne at this awful time.”

A candlelit vigil is to take place tonight at 6pm at the bus stop in Bampton Road, Leigham, Plymouth, where she was last seen. Last night Smeaton’s Tower on Plymouth Hoe was lit up in Bobbi-Anne’s memory.