Friends and family held a vigil for Amelia Bambridge last night, amid fears the missing backpacker may have drowned.

She was last seen at a beach party in Cambodia on Wednesday night.

Her backpack containing her purse, phone and bank cards was found by staff at a private beach the following morning.

At the vigil, held at St Michael’s Catholic Church in Hayling Rise, Worthing, those present prayed for 21-year-old Amelia and lit candles.

It comes as her family planned to hire a team of professional jungle searchers to continue looking for her.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, her brother Harry Bambridge, who has travelled out to the island of Koh Rong where she was last seen, said they intend to hire a specialised jungle search team.

He said: ‘We had use of a dog today, which proved beneficial and gave us some more hope.’

Mr Bambridge added the family thinks the lack of information about his sister’s movements on October 23 is ‘suspect’.

He said: ‘You know, it’s a party. It’s not that busy. There’s plenty of staff there. One minute she’s there and next she’s gone. And no-one seems to know right now.’

Mr Bambridge also reiterated his father Phil’s suggestion that his sister could have been abducted.

‘I totally believe that someone knows what’s happened to her,’ Harry Bambridge said.

‘And, you know, it’s just a matter of finding some information that’s going to tell us more about what’s happened.’

Her family have been raising money to cover their costs in the search, and have so far reached over £16,000.,

Amy Francis, from Moss Tattoos in Worthing, will be tattooing pictures of cows and cats – like those Amelia has – at a fundraiser on Friday.

The police chief for Preah Sihanouk province, the area where Ms Bambridge was last seen, previously said he believed she has drowned.

Major General Chuon Narin said searches of Koh Rong island and in the nearby Gulf of Thailand had failed to provide any information about her disappearance but searches would continue.

“From my first preliminary conclusion she may have drowned in the sea because we have found her belongings on a rock very close to the edge of the sea,” he said.

Mr Bambridge said there could be a chance his sister was lost at sea and asked anyone who found a body in the waters to inform the family.

Six men who work at restaurants, hotels and guest houses on the island were questioned by police and released without charge on Tuesday evening.

Officials said the men were taken into custody because of complaints by Western tourists that they had acted badly towards visiting women.

Relatives are now on the island and drones and thermal imaging cameras are assisting with the search.

About 150 volunteers including divers, navy personnel and visitors are involved in the search, in addition to police officers.

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