POLICE investigating the murder of Southampton school-girl Lucy McHugh remain tight-lipped over a fresh hunt.

Officers confirmed the new searches on the north side of the Sports Centre near Golf Course Road concluded on Thursday night.

But when asked the reason for the new search or if anything had been found, a spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary stated “there is nothing further to add”.

Police were seen searching the Sports Centre following in new line of enquiry investigating the 13-year-olds murder in an area that had not previously been searched.

Officers had cordoned off a section of undergrowth near the Children’s Pleasure Park located on the north side of the Sports Centre.

The shrubbery is the border between the Sports Centre playpark next to the old boating pond and the neighbouring Southampton City Golf Course.

Daily Echo:

The Redbridge Community School pupil was found stabbed to death at Southampton Sports Centre at 7.45am on Thursday, July 26.

Her body was found by a member of the public in a wooded area of Southampton Sports Centre located near to a cricket pitch and the Alpine Sports Centre.

Since then, Hampshire Constabulary have launched a profound investigation into her death.

This includes sifting through 18,000 hours of CCTV footage from more than 250 locations, collecting more than 1,600 items and receiving more than 350 reports from members of the public.

More than 350 officers have been involved in the ongoing investigations.

Police uncovered CCTV of the 13-year-old in August as she walked by a convenience store near to the Sports Centre.

The footage captured the moment Lucy walked past the Tesco Express store on the coroner of Coxford Road and Lordswood Road at 9.30am on Wednesday, July 25.

A video camera also showed her walking on Coxford Road past Southampton General Hospital around 9.25am that same morning.

 

She was last seen wearing a distinctive black jacket with white sleeves with the logo for the band Falling in Reverse on the front, camouflage leggings, a white vest top and black-and-white Jordan trainers.

In July, Stephen Nicholson, 24, who was reported to be staying in the teenager's home until shortly before her death, was arrested on suspicion of her murder and sexual activity with a child.

He was later released on bail but was then immediately arrested after failing to disclose a password to his Facebook account to detectives investigating Lucy’s murder.

On September 1, he pleaded guilty to failing to disclose his Facebook password and was jailed for 14 months by judge Christopher Parker QC.

If you find anything that could be linked to the investigation, please contact police immediately.

Anyone with information can call 101 and quote Operation Refund.