Leah Croucher's family make poignant request just before her funeral this week in Milton Keynes

As MK prepares to say goodbye to Leah Croucher, the young woman who touched the hearts of an entire city, her family has issued a special request.

Leah’s coffin will travel in the funeral cortege through parts of the city on Friday morning to enable crowds to pay their respects before a private service at Crownhill Crematorium.

And her family is asking anybody planning to spend money on flowers for Leah to donate the cash to the Missing People charity instead.

A special fundraising page had been set up here through JustGiving and already more than £2,500 has been raised.

Home-loving Leah was 19 when she inexplicably went missing almost exactly four years ago, the morning after Valentine’s Day. She had left her Emerson Valley home as normal to walk to work and seemingly vanished into thin air.

The last CCTV sighting showed her walking through the Furzton estate.

Last October, three years and eight months later, her body was tragically discovered hidden in the attic of a house on Loxbeare Drive in Furzton – a property she would pass on her route to work.

A murder enquiry has been launched and nobody has yet been arrested – though police have named deceased MK man Neil Maxwell as a suspect.

Leah’s story, plus the despair of her family, produced a wave of sympathy in the city, and it is expected many, many people will want to show their compassion during Friday’s funeral.

Police have urged people not to go to the crematorium and respect that it is a private service for family and close friends.

But they have issued a map of the route for the cortege and people are welcome to gather along the route.

The cortege will departing from White Horse Drive on Emerson Valley at 10.50am and proceed through Furzton, Shenley Brook End, Shenley Church End and Grange Farm before arriving at Crownhill Crematorium at noon.

Leah’s family said: “As a family, we would like to thank everyone who has expressed their condolences during this incredibly difficult stage of our lives. Losing Leah has been one of the most painful times of our lives.

“If you wish to offer your support, we ask that you use this page to donate to the charity Missing People. The charity has supported us over the last four years with appeals, publicity, legal advice and family support. We are very grateful...”

They added: “With Leah's funeral scheduled for Friday 3rd March, we ask that you do not send flowers. Instead, please consider giving to this wonderful charity, ensuring everyone who is affected by missing receives the same care and support as we have.

“They are here in confidence for missing people and those that miss them. Their amazing team provide specialist, non-judgemental support, for free.”

Information and support is available on the charity’s website here.

Meanwhile, Leah’s family has thanked people for their support over the past four years.

They said: “We close this message by once again thanking everybody, not only in MK, but across the UK, for all your loving support, messages and sympathy.

“It truly has helped us through this enormously difficult time, and we are extremely grateful.”