We also appreciate the calls from her school friends and would request anyone who could provide any possible reason or explanation as to why Laura should take her life to contact the police

George and Penny Kilibarda

An inquest into her death - which officers say they are not treating as suspicious - was opened and adjourned on Wednesday.

Laura's body was found in her bedroom at the family's home in the upmarket suburb of Lisvane shortly after 1800 BST on Saturday.

In a statement, her parents George and Penny Kilibarda said: "Our beautiful, sweet Laura was very special and her death has devastated us.

"She was a warm, kind, affectionate and fun-loving person with so much to give but she was also a person who valued her privacy...

"We very much appreciate the love and support of our friends at this time.

"We also appreciate the calls from her school friends and would request anyone who could provide any possible reason or explanation as to why Laura should take her life to contact the police."

Although she was said to be doing well at school, police described her as an "unhappy and troubled girl".

Laura was found dead on Saturday evening

A pupil at Cardiff's Llanishen High School, Laura had been due to return to classes after the Easter break.

After returning from a walk with the family dog on Saturday, she was found some two hours later hanging from a strip of cloth in her bedroom.

School headmaster Alan Boxford - who held a special assembly on Wednesday in memory of Laura - said she had been an excellent student.

"Laura was a nice young girl. She had a nice cheeky grin and a bit of a spark in her eye," he said.

"She had her moments - there was good and bad behaviour but no real problems."

Mr Boxford said that Laura's parents had been to see him early on Monday morning to talk to him about bullying and other issues.

"It is a terrible tragedy that someone so young could do this," said South Wales Police Inspector Gary Sullivan.

He added: "There was no single event that led up to it - she was unhappy and had been unsettled for a little while.

"We are looking into her school and social life and if any of her friends know anything they should come forward and speak to us."