Met divers search lake for Milly Dowler car

Police frogmen were today searching a lake in west London for a car detectives believe was used in the murder of teenager Milly Dowler.

Investigators believe that a red Daewoo Nexia, suspected of being used to move Milly's body, may have been dumped in the lake near Heathrow.

The move comes after a file naming convicted killer Levi Bellfield as the prime suspect for the unsolved murder was given to prosecution lawyers in August.

The death of Amanda Dowler, known as Milly, remains one of Britain's most notorious unsolved crimes.

The 13-year-old vanished while walking home from school in Walton-on-Thames on 21 March, 2002. Her remains were found six months later in Hampshire.

Bellfield became a suspect after it emerged that he lived 100 yards from the spot where she went missing. A Daewoo, similar to one owned by his girlfriend at the time, was caught on CCTV driving away from the scene minutes after Milly disappeared. Bellfield has since admitted he was driving the car.

Two months ago police arrested mechanic Nirmal Gharu, 40, a friend of Bellfield's, over the disposal of the car. Police suspect it passed through a garage in Feltham which was run by Mr Gharu and was then crushed. One possibility is that it was dumped in the lake.

Bellfield, 41, is expected to be interviewed again about Milly's murder. He was first arrested over the death four years ago.

Bellfield was told last year that he would die in jail after he was found guilty of murdering Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. He was also convicted of the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy, 18.