A 13-year-old girl was found murdered in a Bradford alleyway after a family visit to welcome a new baby.

Today the devastated relatives of Anum Mahmood, of Birmingham, told how she was visiting her family in Little Horton, with her mother, grandmother and aunts, to celebrate the birth of her baby cousin.

Anum was found dead in a ginnel between Hutton Road and Hope Avenue yesterday afternoon and police launched a murder inquiry.

Today her uncle, Ashiq Ali, 43, who runs the Ali and Sons store on Thorton Lane where the teenager had been staying, spoke of his family's heartbreak.

"The girl's parents are inconsolable. Her father came here from Birmingham at 3am today and her mother is staying with her sister in Whetley Hill. They are completely and utterly devastated. There are no words to describe how they are feeling."

The couple have three other children.

Mr Ali described Anum as a happy, sweet girl.

"She loved coming here to play with my daughters. She used to come twice or three times a year and she was so happy to see us. She was really excited this time about the baby. We can't believe that a happy occasion has ended like this, so horribly."

Anum, who was dressed in a lime green shalwar kameez, had told the family she was going for a walk.

"But she was gone for a long time. It was not like her so we started to look for her, on foot then in the car," said Mr Ali.

The whole family joined in the search. "We were getting really worried and I had a really sick feeling in my stomach. When I saw police cars around the area I was hoping that it was for another reason."

The family were informed of the death about 1am today.

Today mourners flocked to the flat above the shop to pay their respects.

One elderly neighbour said: "I have lived in this area for so many years and not even heard of a robbery. We saw this child playing out on Saturday, laughing and smiling, and on Sunday she was dead. It is beyond belief, the whole community is in shock."

Anum's cousin, Rahila Bano Ali, 14, said: "She was a lovely happy person. She loved coming here because she didn't have anyone her age in Birmingham. She was a really good friend too."

A forensic team last night conducted a fingertip search of the scene and Hutton Road was cordoned off while investigations took place.

The grounds of a former middle school were also searched.

A 19-year-old Bradford man was arrested late last night in connection with the discovery of the body and was being held in custody today.