Chloe Mitchell Ballymena vigil: Harryville Presbyterian minister says murder will continue to inspire love and concern from community members for each other

The search was called off after suspected human remains were discovered. One man has appeared in court charged with Ms Mitchell’s murder, while a second was charged with assisting an offender.

Rev Chestnutt ministers in the same Harryville area of the town where Ms Mitchell's family reside.

On Sunday night his church hosted a community prayer vigil for her safe return. Tragically, it was not to be.

"But the people of Harryville are a very strong people," he said. "We talk about Harryville being a close knit community of people who look out for one another."

He added: "They are people who work together to really encourage each other. So although it is dreadful what has happened - and it has caused shock, deep distress and pain - in time it will continue to draw out of Harryville people the strength, the love, and the concern that they have for each other."

He has been a minister in the church for 12 years. And as concern was mounting for Chloe at the weekend, he sensed "a real sense of desperation" about the situation on social media.

"So that fed into our decision to hold a special time of prayer on Sunday evening."

The congregation normally meets to pray on Sunday evening anyway, but on this occasion there were many new people who attended.

"It was just a real cross section of the community and indeed folk from beyond Harryville."

"The heart of the Christian gospel is that God welcomes us, in his son Jesus Christ," he said. "It's not a kind of a message where you have to measure up. It is a welcome that's broad and wide and open and that is the type of church we try to be."

About 100 attended the event.

"Certainly some folk would have said that they were comforted and encouraged."

He added: "We cried out in prayer as a child cries out to their father - but a father does not always give his children what they want. We cannot treat God like Santa Claus. There is more to it than that."

However he sees the resilience and compassion in Harryville people in helping each other deal with the tragedy.

And he says his congregation will continue to support them.

"We will still be here when the focus shifts onto something else. God willing, we will still be quietly in the background preaching God's word and praying together and looking after people."

A vigil in tribute to Chloe has been organised at Belfast City Hall at 5.30pm on Wednesday 14 June.

Brendan McNally, whose sister Natalie died in an attack in Lurgan in December, said on Twitter that he hopes people will attend.

“I am urging a strong show out at Belfast City Hall on Wednesday 5.30pm, as a vigil for the life of Chloe Mitchell,” he wrote.

Charity Turning Point NI is also organising a vigil in Ballymena at 7.30pm in King George’s Park, Harryville.