Joanna Yeates' family's first visit to Bristol scene where body was found

The family of Joanna Yeates would never have wanted their return to Bristol to be like this.

In their prayers and in their dreams, parents David and Theresa would have hoped to have been reunited with their daughter Joanna alive and unharmed.

But yesterday afternoon the couple arrived from Hampshire, along with Miss Yeates' boyfriend Greg Reardon, her brother Chris and other friends and family to see for themselves where her body was found on Longwood Lane, Failand, on Christmas morning.

A couple walking their dogs discovered Miss Yeates' body, eight days after the landscape architect was last seen alive in Bristol.

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At 2.21pm yesterday, the family arrived from their home in Hampshire to lay flowers near the place where Miss Yeates' snow-covered body was found.

Mrs Yeates broke down in tears as soon as she stepped out of the silver car alongside Mr Yeates, who laid a bunch of yellow roses with a graduation photograph of their daughter by the roadside.

Brother Chris joined his parents in an embrace as Mr Reardon, 27, wearing a brown jacket and black woollen hat, laid another bunch of flowers, wrapped in red with a white ribbon.

A minute of contemplation was followed by the slow walk up to the white tent put up by police to preserve the site where the body was found for examination.

On their way back down the road, Mr Reardon stopped and gazed at the entrance to the nearby Durnford Quarry. With a white tissue clasped to her mouth, Mrs Yeates leant into her husband as he squeezed her tightly. Miss Yeates' brother also extended his hand in comfort and the family embraced before departing.

For two days, scene of crime officers have been scouring the frozen ground and woodland alongside the lane near Bristol and Clifton Golf Club for any clues that might help them understand how Miss Yeates' body got there.

The Yeates family made no further comments yesterday on their tragic loss.