Jane Longhurst had been missing since 14 March

Colleagues of murdered schoolteacher Jane Longhurst have paid tributes to her as a "delightful, genuine and caring person".

The 31-year-old's burnt body was found in a nature reserve 18 miles from her Brighton home on Saturday.

Sussex Police had been searching for Ms Longhurst since she disappeared five weeks ago on 14 March.

A murder investigation was launched on Saturday night after firefighters were called to a blaze on Wiggonholt Common near Pulborough, West Sussex, and found Ms Longhurst's body.

Headteacher of Uplands special school in Brighton said staff were "deeply shocked" at the news of Ms Longhurst's death.

A motorist spotted the fire in the woods on Saturday

Mr Atkins said: "We are devastated by the news of the tragic death of our colleague made worse by the horrible circumstances surrounding her death.

"She was an extremely dedicated and hard-working teacher and tried to increase the knowledge of her children, not only within the classroom but outside as well."

Police had alerted Ms Longhurst's family following the discovery of the body but it was not until Sunday afternoon that she was formally identified by dental records.

A post mortem revealed Ms Longhurst was strangled and police said that she had been dead for a "long time".

A spokesman said that she was not killed on the common and that her body had been taken there to be disposed of and was set alight using an accelerant.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Dennis, who is leading the investigation, said the sympathy of the force was with her family.

Body 'covered in debris'

The body was found after a motorist driving across the common saw a fire in trees just off the road at about 2030 BST on Saturday.

Firefighters found her body, which was badly charred and had been covered in debris.

A murder investigation was launched and police have appealed for anybody on Wiggonholt Common between 1930 BST and 2030 BST on Saturday to come forward.

They also want to hear from anyone who may know where her blue Nokia 3310 mobile phone, black Next wallet, shoes and blue denim jacket are.

�5,000 reward

After Ms Longhurst, who is originally from Reading, Berkshire, failed to contact her mother on Mother's Day police said they believed she had probably been abducted and killed.

A �5,000 reward for information about her whereabouts had been offered.

On April 10 Ms Longhurst's partner Malcolm Sentance, with whom she lived, her mother and sister joined a news conference to appeal for help to find her.

Her bank account had not been touched and her mobile phone had been switched off.