Leonne Weeks: Man arrested in connection with 16-years-old girl's 'suspicious' death in Rotherham

The teenager was found dead on a footpath in Dinnington on Monday morning

Friends of Leonne Weeks left tributes to the teenager on social media (Facebook)

An 18-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a teenage girl in Rotherham, police have said.

An investigation was launched after the 16-year-old girl, named locally as Leonne Weeks, was found dead on a footpath in Dinnington on Monday morning.

Detectives said the teenager was found soon after she was reported missing and were treating the death as suspicious due to “concerns about the state of the body and injuries".

The man, from Dinnington, was arrested last night and was being questioned in connection with the girl's death, said South Yorkshire Police.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Whittaker urged anyone with information to come forward and said patrols in the area had been reinforced to reassure the community.

"While formal identification has not yet taken place, we are working closely with the family of a girl from Dinnington," he said.

The girl has been named online as Ms Weeks, with tributes paid to the schoolgirl on Facebook and flowers left at the scene of her death by loved ones.

"RIP Princess, I can't believe you have gone this soon," wrote one friend on the social network. "You were so kind, amazing and beautiful, you wouldn't have hurt anyone."

Friends of Ms Weeks have claimed she had planned to meet a man she had met on a dating website, according to the Daily Mirror.

"I am incredibly sad to hear about the discovery of a teenage girl's body in Dinnington near my constituency office this morning," tweeted MP for Rother Valley Kevin Barron.

"I would like to send my condolences to the family and friends of this young girl. We must now allow the police time to investigate".

South Yorkshire Police urged anyone with information to call 101 quoting incident number 256.