Sarah Everard killing: Police search Sandwich town centre

image captionSarah Everard has been described as "beautiful, thoughtful and incredibly kind"

Officers investigating the death of Sarah Everard have cordoned off an area in the town of Sandwich in Kent.

The 33-year-old marketing executive disappeared as she walked home in Clapham on 3 March. Her body was found a week later in Kent woodland.

Serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, has been charged with her murder and kidnap.

Police cordoned off a section of The Rope Walk, near the centre of Sandwich, on Sunday evening.

• Sarah Everard murder case: What happens next?

Scotland Yard said police had routinely been searching areas of London and Kent as part of the investigation.

On Sunday, Sandwich Town Council said it was in contact with Kent Police on behalf of Scotland Yard.

Earlier, the mayor of Sandwich estimated that about one square mile of the town had been taped off.

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image captionOfficers from the Metropolitan Police have set up a tent and equipment inside the cordon

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image captionThe search site is near the centre of Sandwich

Police officers are continuing to search along Delf stream and The Rope Walk with metre-long wooden sticks.

Officers are also searching a trolley shelter at a Co-op supermarket.

The cordoned-off area contains a secluded path near a stream and homes.

At the edge of the cordon, a few officers gathered for discussion as one showed colleagues a piece of gold jewellery that was then put in an evidence bag.

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image captionDivers have been searching a stretch of water in Sandwich, Kent

Residents have been asked not to gather at the scene.

Ms Everard was reported missing by her boyfriend on 4 March.

She had visited a friend in the Clapham Junction area on 3 March and left at about 21:00 GMT to make what was roughly a 2.5-mile (4km) journey home.

She called her boyfriend for about 15 minutes and was seen alone on CCTV at 21:15 and again on a camera at 21:28.

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image captionPolice started searching Sandwich on Sunday

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image captionPeople have continued to gather at Clapham Common to lay flowers in memory of Ms Everard

Her body, which was found inside a builder's bag in woodland in Ashford on 10 March, was identified through the use of dental records.

A post-mortem examination has taken place but no cause of death has been released.

An inquest into the death of Ms Everard is likely to be opened later this week, Kent County Council has said.