A 16-year-old boy has appeared in court accused of murdering a teaching assistant.

The youth, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, is charged with the murder of 47-year-old mother-of-two Lindsay Birbeck, whose body was found in a cemetery.

The boy's parents sat in front of the glass dock at Blackburn Magistrates' Court as the youngster was led up in handcuffs on Monday.

A dock officer released the cuffs and flanked him as the boy gave his name, date of birth and address to the court.

The boy, wearing a white shirt, nodded when asked if his nationality was British.

His tearful mother frequently looked back at her son during the 20-minute hearing and nervously smiled at him on occasion.

The teenager is alleged to have murdered Mrs Birbeck between August 12 and August 24.

No indication of plea was given as the boy was remanded into secure accommodation by chairman of the bench Paul Wright.

Mr Wright told him: "We are not making any decision today about whether you are guilty or not. That is for a later time and has to be dealt with at a crown court. Do you understand that?"

The boy replied: "Yes."

He will next appear at Preston Crown Court tomorrow.

Earlier the youngster was led into the side of the building from a police van with a jacket over his head.

Mrs Birbeck went missing from her home in Huncoat, Accrington, on August 12, and her disappearance prompted wide-ranging searches by hundreds of members of the community.

Her body was found in Accrington Cemetery on August 24, and a murder inquiry was launched.

A post-mortem examination showed she died as a result of compression of the neck.