A man has admitted murdering an A-level student whose body was found a local beauty spot.
Mark Buckley, 51, pleaded guilty at Manchester Crown Court to the murder of student Ellen Higginbottom, 18, at Orrell Water Park near Wigan on June 17.
He was one of four people taken into police custody over the student’s death after the discovery of her body.
Police found Ellen Higginbottom’s body in Orrell Water Park in Wigan at about 2.30am on Saturday
The 18-year-old student was reported missing by her family when she didn’t return home from college which was described as ‘extremely out of character’.
A post-mortem examination confirmed she died from multiple wounds to the neck.
In the wake of her death, the teenager’s heartbroken boyfriend paid tribute to his ‘beautiful and bubbly’ girlfriend.
Ryan Warren spoke of the ‘witty and down to earth’ girl who will ‘remain in his heart forever’.
Mark Buckley, 51, pleaded guilty at Manchester Crown Court to the murdering A-Level student Ellen
In the touching statement, Ryan, who lovingly referred to Ellen as ‘his nugget’ and himself as ‘her chicken’, said he would not be the man he is today without her amazing support.
Ryan, 18, from Wigan, said: ‘Ellen, the past two years of knowing you have been the best years of my life. I am so incredibly honoured to have been such a big part in your life.
‘Thank you for everything you have and did for me, even the little things like coming to find me when I was studying or bringing sweets to help study, or even the countless hours we just spent cuddling thinking about what we will do in the future.’
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