Kayleigh Haywood: Man charged with rape and murder of Leicestershire schoolgirl

Stephen Beadman will appear at Leicestershire Magistrates Court accused of the teenager's murder

Kayleigh, 15, is described as a 'bubbly, loving, caring' girl by her parents (Leicestershire Police)

A man has been charged with the rape and murder of 15-year-old Kayleigh Haywood who went missing in Ibstock, Leicestershire.

Stephen Beadman, 28, is accused of murder and one count of rape and was due appear at Leicestershire Magistrates Court.

Another man, Luke Harlow, 27, will also appear charged with one count of grooming and two counts of sexual activity with a child.

Kayleigh was last seen by her parents at 6pm on Friday evening when her father dropped her off at Ibstock Community College.

Her body was found in the undergrowth by a lake by police on Wednesday night - five days after she disappeared.

A post-mortem is now due to be carried out to determine her cause of death.

In a statement released when her body was found, her family said: "We are heartbroken, grief stricken and as a family, utterly devastated. There are no words to express the way we are feeling.

"We cannot even begin to thank the local communities and wider public for their messages of support which have helped us through the last week.

"We are also grateful for the publicity the media have given to Kayleigh's disappearance and the desperate search to find her."

Additional reporting by PA