© Provided by The GuardianPhotograph: Metropolitan Police/PA
The family and friends of "strong" and "beautiful" Sarah Everard are desperately hoping the marketing executive who disappeared last week will return home safely.
A serving Metropolitan police officer has been arrested over the disappearance of Everard from south London, Scotland Yard said on Wednesday, a week after she was reported missing.
A woman was also taken into custody and is being held at a London police station on suspicion of assisting an offender.
A senior officer expressed hope that Everard, 33, who went missing after leaving a friend's house in Clapham at about 9pm, will yet be found safe and well.
Everard's cousin Tom told the Mirror the family was hopeful the arrests would lead to her being found safe and coming home to them. Police have said they "really hope" she is still alive.
It comes after Everard's partner, Josh Lowth - who spoke to her for 15 minutes during her walk home - made a plea on social media days earlier. He said: "Sarah is still missing. Please share this post to help us to find her. Today, more than ever, we miss our strong, beautiful friend."
© Photograph: Metropolitan Police/PAA senior police officer has expressed hope that Sarah Everard, pictured, who went missing after leaving a friend's house in Clapham at about 9pm last Wednesday, will yet be found safe and well.
Her uncle Nick Everard told Sky News the family was "distraught" following the arrest of a police officer. He said "things are utterly dire", but they were hoping and "waiting for positive news".
Everard studied geography at Durham University from 2005 to 2008. She most recently worked as a freelance group account director at Flipside Group. On her LinkedIn profile, she says that she is a "positive presence" who is "always wanting to learn" with a "caring attitude for my work and team".
Many of her friends have shared messages of support and pleaded for help from the public, changing their profile pictures on social media to "Find Sarah Everard". They have also shared an illustration from artist Charlie Mackesy, which says: "Please help find Sarah Everard."
One of her friend's posts on Facebook at the start of the week read: "Another plea for help to find my dear friend Sarah Everard who has been missing for four nights now after walking home alone between Clapham and Brixton."
Everard's family have previously spoken of her "out-of-character" disappearance. Her aunt Jane Everard told the Sun: "We're devastated. It is so out of character for her.
The marketing executive went missing while walking to her home in Brixton from the nearby Clapham Junction area on Wednesday 3 March. She had been at a friend's house when she left the property, in Leathwaite Road, around 9 pm.
Anyone who has information that may assist the investigation should call the incident room on 0208 785 8244.