The family of Sarah Everard have paid tribute to “their wonderful daughter and sister” who was a “shining example to us all”.

On Wednesday night, police confirmed human remains been found in an area of woodland in Ashford in Kent in the search for Everard, 33.

In a statement on Thursday, the family appealed for anyone with information about her disappearance to come forward.

“Our beautiful daughter Sarah was taken from us and we are appealing for any information that will help to solve this terrible crime,” the statement read.

“Sarah was bright and beautiful – a wonderful daughter and sister. She was kind and thoughtful, caring and dependable. She always put others first and had the most amazing sense of humour.

“She was strong and principled and a shining example to us all. We are very proud of her and she brought so much joy to our lives.

“We would like to thank our friends and family for all their support during this awful time and we would especially like to thank Sarah’s friends who are working tirelessly to help.

“We are so grateful to the police and would like to thank them for all they are doing. We are now pleading for additional help from the public.

“Please come forward and speak to the police if you have any information. No piece of information is too insignificant. Thank you.”

A serving Met police officer aged in his 40s arrested on suspicion of the kidnap and murder of Sarah has been further detained in custody after an application to extend his detention was granted at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court.

A woman in her 30s who was arrested at the same time on suspicion of assisting an offender has been released on bail to return to a police station in mid-April. 

Meanwhile, the police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation into whether the Met properly looked at a claim of indecent exposure involving the suspect, days before Everard disappeared.