Katie Kenyon: Family tell of 'heart-breaking nightmare'

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Mother-of-two Katie Kenyon was found dead in a forest on Friday with head injuries.

The family of a mother-of-two who was found dead after being missing for a week have told of their “heart-breaking nightmare”.

Katie Kenyon, 33, who was last seen getting into a van in Burnley on 22 April, died from head injuries.

Her sister Jenny Kenyon paid tribute to her “beautiful big sister” and said she would love her forever.

Her body was found on Friday night in the Forest of Bowland. A man has been charged with her murder.

Andrew Burfield, 50, of Todmorden Road, Burnley, appeared at Preston Crown Court on Friday and is due to face trial on 14 November.

Friends and family have raised more than £14,000 for pay for Ms Kenyon’s funeral and to help provide for her children.

In a statement on a fundraising page, her family said they wanted to raise money for her son and daughter’s futures to fulfil “Katie’s dreams she had planned with her children”.

They said “our heart-breaking nightmare began when our Katie was taken away from her children and family far too soon”.

Friends have also paid tribute to Ms Kenyon, of Padiham, Lancashire, describing her as a “sweetheart” and “gorgeous”.

Ms Kenyon’s family had described her disappearance as out of character as police searched for her.

On Thursday, forensic searches focused on a particular area in the Forest of Bowland to determine whether it could be linked to Ms Kenyon’s disappearance.

Searches had previously been held in Gisburn Forest in the Ribble Valley, with more than 60 specialist officers from four police forces scouring the dense woodland.