IT WAS the most difficult thing Abersychan Comprehensive head teacher Peter Scott has had to do.

As shocked pupils learned about the discovery of a body on the lonely Gwent mountainside where police searched for their missing school pal Jenna Baldwin, Mr Scott (pictured) and his colleagues got her year, year 11, together for a solemn assembly.

He said: "I have been doing assemblies for 22 years but this was the most difficult to do. I told them we all need to help each other to come to terms with this tragedy."

Jenna had a small group of friends who she enjoyed life with, and they and other members of her year group had been in to see him.

"This has been a very long ordeal for the family, community and her friends at school," added Mr Scott.

Youth workers have been at the school offering guidance where needed and counselling will be available.

The strain of this week's events comes as Jenna's schoolmates sit a science exam today. Mr Scott said he had informed the exam board about the circumstances in which the pupils will be taking the exam.

The news shocked and saddened people in the area where police have concentrated their searches for the 15-year-old's body.

Andrew Preece, 27, of Usk View, Govilon, said that as a young child he used to play on the fields and walk to the woods from his home.

He said: "We can see the operation just up from us. We noticed it going on when there was a helicopter in the sky.

"I went to see what was happening and the road was blocked off by police. "People are surprised that it is on our doorstep. It's a bit sick in a way because it's so close to homes. We are all a bit shocked."

Marlene Slocombe, 58, of Bryn Terrace, Blaenavon, said: "I think it's been such a long time that I think it will be a relief for the mother if she's found."

The discovery was made just before midnight on Monday at Fiddler's Elbow, about a mile away from Keeper's Pond.

Further down the valley, in Jenna's home village of Abersychan, many people did not want to talk, too upset to focus on the events of the past ten weeks.

Desiree Baldwin now faces the prospect of having to tell her two other children, Josh, aged ten and eight-year-old Hannah, that their sister will not be coming home. Angharad Gulliford, 53, of Afon Court, said: "At least her mother can bury her. I feel for the little ones.

"At least the family can get some closure and get on with their lives but the children are going to need a lot of love and support."

Deputy mayor of Pontypool and ward councillor for Abersychan, Doug Davies, said: "The mother has gone through hell the last couple of weeks, not knowing if her daughter's alive or dead - it must be terrible.

"The people in Aber-sychan have been shocked and very concerned. "It is only a small area and a small community when these things happen the people in the community get together."