A UNITED group of 100 people walked through Walthamstow's streets in memory of Michelle Samaraweera, who was viciously raped and murdered in a children's playground.

The 'Reclaim the Night' walk on Friday evening was organised by two Walthamstow women determined to make a defiant stand to the rapist and murderer, who is still at large, and to call on the police to keep the public informed about the murder investigation.

Two of Michelle's sisters and her former boyfriend and his family also took part in the walk, which proved to be very emotional.

Accompanied by police officers, the crowd was watched by shop-keepers and passing drivers as travelled down the High Street, along St James's Street and, as dusk gave way to night, reached the playground in Queen's Road where Michelle's partially clothed body was found.

Piles of flowers still remain next to the swings where Michelle's body was disovered by a member of the public in the early hours of May 30.

Some of the flowers say 'sister' and 'daughter'.

Looking at the dimly-lit park, the crowd fell silent and Michelle's sisters sobbed.

They were comforted by the family of Shakir Ali, a 20-year-old who was stabbed to death in Walthamstow in July 2002, who said that they attended the walk to share Michelle's family's pain and to offer them support.

Michelle's sister Charmaine Turnell told the crowd: “We are absolutely devastated by the loss of our baby sister. This person has to be apprehended and we need people to come forward with information.

“Michelle loved children and it is awful the way she died in this play area and that there were no CCTV cameras in there.”

Neil Gerrard MP said: “Everyone's thoughts are with Michelle's family and friends this evening.

“It is a difficult time for everyone in this area when something like this happens because no one has been arrested. People feel worried about themselves.

“It is very important everyone does everything to ensure their own personal safety, but what is equally important is that people don't react to something like this by feeling powerless and that the streets don't belong to them.”

Mr Ali also spoke, calling on residents to be patient and to trust that the police are doing everything they can to catch the killer and serial rapist.

Acting Police Sergeant Carl Clarke said three murder teams are dealing with the investigation, which he said was very rare.

He said 980 homes have been visited during the DNA sweep and 480 DNA samples taken, eliminating those men from the enquiry.

The walk was organised by Anna Woodward and Kate Bohdanowicz.

Ms Woodward, who lives close to the Markhouse Road area where Michelle was murdered, said: “We want the police to do more leaflet drops and to give more information.

"We know they have more police patrolling the area now, but we would like more visible police.”