Special Prayers For Joanna Yeates

Prayers are being said today to remember Joanna Yeates - a year since she was murdered by her neighbour Vincent Tabak.

The landscape architect was last seen alive on the night of December 17, 2010 in Clifton, Bristol and eight days later her body was found on a snowy verge three miles away.

Next door neighbour Tabak, 33, a Dutch engineer, was convicted of the 25-year-old's murder in October and jailed for life. He will serve a minimum 20 years' imprisonment.

During his trial at Bristol Crown Court, the jury heard he strangled Miss Yeates in a violent confrontation at the flat she shared with boyfriend Greg Reardon in Canynge Road, Clifton.

He then spun a web of lies and deceit to cover his tracks - taking her body back to his flat, then going night shopping in Asda with the body in his car boot.

Within an hour he had dumped her partially clothed corpse on the verge, and just 24 hours later was drinking champagne with friends.
During the trial it emerged Tabak was obsessed with images of women being strangled during sex.

To remember Miss Yeates, the local church will be open and there will be the opportunity for quiet reflection, prayers, an opportunity to light a candle in her memory and write in a condolence card that will be sent to her family.

Rev Paul Langham, from Christ Church Clifton, said: "Anybody in the community or anybody else who'd like to come in and be quiet, perhaps light a candle in Jo's memory.

"We also have a card for her parents if people would like to sign that.

"It's just a small way of marking this dreadful day in our community's history."

Miss Yeates's body was found by dog walkers on Christmas morning in Failand, North Somerset. She had been strangled.

She had last been seen as she walked home to her flat from drinks with colleagues from workplace BDP at the Bristol Ram pub.

Earlier this week, Mr Reardon spoke of his pain at losing the love of his life and said they would probably have married one day.

He told The Sun: "The thought of proposing had crossed my mind although it was probably some time off.

"It was more about taking things one step at a time and seeing where life took us than having a 'five-year plan' or whatever.

"I've visited her grave and will continue to do so. We are in the process of organising a proper headstone and it will be nice to see that in place.

"I'm not sure specifically what I'll do to remember Jo in the future but I'm certainly not going to forget her."

In a recent interview, Miss Yeates's father, David, 63, said he and his family continued to struggle with their loss.

"Our lives go on and we still have to deal with the fact that Jo is no longer around."

"She loved Christmas - that was her best time of the year. She loved playing games, cards and being competitive. She enjoyed the whole razzmatazz to do with Christmas.

"That's why being found on Christmas Day was so poignant."