It was the horrifying story that shocked the nation: eight-year-old Sarah Payne vanishing from a field in 2000 as she was abducted and murdered by convicted paedophile Roy Whiting.
Last night, ITV's Sarah Payne: The Untold Story took a look at the horrific murder and the lasting legacy of her death.
The harrowing documentary replayed the heartbreaking moment Sarah's mum, Sara, called 999 to ask for help after realising her daughter had gone missing while playing with her siblings.
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And it's safe to say viewers were left distressed by the audio footage, with on person tweeting the show was a 'tough watch'.
The episode saw Sara tell Susanna Reid about how she didn't want to make the call as it would then seem real. It also featured interviews with Sarah's brothers and sister, as well as her grandparents, who have never spoken before.
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The documentary looked at the case from the Payne family's perspective, exploring how they coped at the time and how they have coped with the devastating impact of the murder.
Describing the documentary, a spokesperson for ITV said: "Susanna Reid speaks to Sara Payne about the murder of her eight-year-old daughter Sarah, reflecting on the devastating impact it has had on her family, and the lasting legacy of her death nearly 20 years on.
"The abduction and murder of Sarah Payne from a field near her grandparents' home in Sussex in July 2000 shocked the nation, particularly when it was revealed the culprit Roy Whiting was a convicted paedophile who had committed a similar crime - though not murdered the girl - some years previously.
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"Sarah's mother campaigned to change the law, allowing concerned parents access to the sex offender register, and succeeded in changing the criminal justice system. A decade on, as she turns 50, Sara Payne gives Susanna a vivid insight into her daughter, her family and the effects the murder and ensuing court case had on those left behind in their wake."
Sara says that if she had to choose Sarah's last moments on earth, she wouldn't have changed anything, as Sarah had been playing with her siblings prior to her abduction.
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"When I think about her, I think of her playing with her brothers and her sister," she will say on the programme. "If those were her last moments on this earth, then that's what I would have chosen for her... That must have been a lovely afternoon for them.
"Both the boys are dads now. I can live with her not being here any more. I can't live with them not being able to live their lives because she's not. And I can't have him [Roy Whiting] take any more than he took. He took enough that day and I won't give him any more."
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Sarah Payne: The Untold Story is available to watch on ITV catch up now.
Featured Image Credit: ITVTopics: TV News, TV Entertainment
