TEAMS of police officers, pictured, searched in the heavy rain over the weekend for missing schoolgirl Jenna Baldwin.

But as officers continued to scour a large area of woodland around a quarry near the Baldwin family's new home in Limekiln Road, Abersychan, they did so believing they were seeking a body.

Last week, police finally admitted they believed 15-year-old Jenna was dead.

Jenna disappeared from her home in Ffrwd Road, Pontnewynydd, on September 10.

And despite a massive effort to trace the Abersychan Comprehensive schoolgirl, backed by appeals from her family, the trail remained cold.

Then, on Friday, 'cadaver' dogs were brought in from the Forensic Search Advisory Group - specially trained to find human remains. The dogs searched woodland, and teams from the group combed the mountains towards Blaenavon.

Police off-road vehicles and forensic search group Land Rovers equipped with ropes, winches and snorkels drove in convoy, carrying men with abseiling equipment to search the quarry face and ledges.

A helicopter carrying heat-seeking equipment is due to be brought in this week to help with the search.

Police say that Jenna's mother, Desiree, has reluctantly accepted that her daughter is no longer alive.

Mrs Baldwin has gone through the whole gamut of emotions since Jenna's disappearance.

Last month a spate of silent and whispering telephone calls, and text messages, received by the family gave Mrs Baldwin hope that Jenna was still alive and being held captive against her will after she initially feared they had a "sinister" meaning.

Then, last Tuesday, her husband, Michael, was taken away by detectives, arrested in connection with Jenna's disappearance.

On Saturday night, as the deadline for the end of questioning loomed, Michael Baldwin was charged with the murder of his stepdaughter.

Torfaen's deputy mayor and Abersychan councillor Doug Davies said: "The community has been shocked by these events and we hope and pray that Jenna is still alive.

"Our thoughts are with her mother, brother and sister, who must be going through hell."

Chief Inspector John Oliver, who is leading the investigation into Jenna's disappearance, told the Argus on Saturday: "It has been a long investigation which has taken a lot of officers' time and effort, with some working on their rest days.

"It has had an impact on their wellbeing and on their families' lives, but of course what Mrs Baldwin is going through is far worse.

"She's holding up quite well at the moment and I don't think things have really sunk in yet. I think there are more critical stages for her to come.

"It is very difficult for Mrs Baldwin to have any sort of normality and she is receiving the support of our family liaison officers."

Jenna's grandmother, Olive Brookfield, from Pontnewynydd, said: "I hope Jenna is OK, but I don't think so. I fear the worst and have done so for a week or two.

"Jenna used to come here with her younger sister. The last time I saw her was on August 17.

"She was happy enough when she came here, and she was just a normal teenager as far as I'm concerned, and had a lot of friends around her."

The last words Jenna spoke to her grandmother were: "See you when you come back" - Mrs Brookfield was off on holiday to Scotland.

She left Gwent with no reason to believe it would be the last time she saw her beloved only granddaughter.

l Anyone with information on Jenna's disappearance is asked to contact the Pontypool incident room on 01495 232260.