Candlelit vigil held for baby whose remains were found in Brighton woodland

A vigil was held in honour of the baby whose remains were found in Brighton near where Constance Marten and Mark Gordon were arrested Credit: PA

A candlelit vigil was held in Brighton tonight for a baby whose remains were found in woodland.

The baby was discovered on Wednesday following two days of searches across the area, including wood areas, an allotment and a nature reserve.

A major search operation had been underway after Constance Marten - the daughter of a Dorset aristocrat, and her partner Mark Gordon - went missing with their child in January.

People have been laying flowers near to where the baby was discovered, including two detectives from Sussex Police and the Met Police who are leading the investigation.

A vigil being held at St Mary Magdalen Church, Coldean, East Sussex Credit: PA

At 6pm on Thursday (2 March) a candlelit vigil was held at St Mary Magdalen Church in Coldean in Brighton.

The vicar leading the vigil said the community wanted to come together to pay their respects. Reverend Betsy Gray-Hammond said: "This has caused such a cloud of darkness in this area, and we feel we want to bring some light back into that darkness.

"There will be members of the whole community, not just church members. Anyone who wants to come along is welcome to do so.

  • Reverend Betsy Gray-Hammond, Vicar at St Mary Magdalen Church in Coldean

"People here have been so affected by everything that has gone on.

"When you've seen searches taking place in your local woodland, it's brought home to you, and it's that tiny little innocent life that none of us can explain what happened or why it happened.

"We're not here to judge and not here to make a judgement.

"We're here to try and bring some peace and grace back into this area."

The vigil held on 2 March at St Mary Magdalen Church Credit: PA

Posting on social media the a spokesperson for the Diocese of Chichester said: "Our prayers are focussed on the unfolding news of the missing baby, now found in Brighton.

"Churches will be holding vigils. St Mary Magdalen Church in Coldean will be holding a vigil at 6pm, Thursday."

The vigil comes as police confirmed that they believe the baby found in woodland in Brighton on Wednesday had been dead for several weeks.

Constance Marten and Mark Gordon had been on the run since 5 January, when their car was found abandoned and on fire next to the M61 in Bolton.

They have been charged with gross negligence manslaughter.