A FRIEND of Paula Clennell's who claims to be the last person to have seen her before her disappearance today told of her heartache over the young mother's death.Rebecca, Paula's best friend for the past four years, said: “I was the last person to see her on Saturday night."

A FRIEND of Paula Clennell's who claims to be the last person to have seen her before her disappearance today told of her heartache over the young mother's death.

Rebecca, Paula's best friend for the past four years, said: “I was the last person to see her on Saturday night.

“I left her on London Road on Saturday night. I only left her for about 15 minutes and when I came back she was gone.”

Police yesterday revealed that 24-year-old Paula was last seen at 12.20am on Sunday morning.

Her body was discovered in Levington on Tuesday afternoon just a few hundred yards from another body found on the same day which is believed to be that of Ipswich woman 29-year-old Annette Nicholls.

Miss Clennell, who was interviewed by a TV crew in the red light district just days before her death, leaves behind three children.

Rebecca told the Evening Star she has already given a five-hour statement to officers investigating the five murders and is due to give another statement today.

She said: “She wasn't a bad person, she was a good friend to me.

“I haven't really had time to think about what's happened.”

Another friend of Miss Clennell added: “The last time I saw her was six or eight weeks ago.

“I knew her when I was 18. We lived next door to each other and we became friends. I used to go round and see her.

“She was a nice girl. She was always really friendly and bubbly.

“She had a lot of bad things happen to her. She had some problems when she was younger.”

The friend said she believed Miss Clennell, was killed by someone she knew, possibly a regular customer, because she had pledged not to get in a car with someone she didn't trust.

She said: “She was fairly street wise. I can't see her getting into a car if she wasn't 100per cent sure of the customer.”

The grandmother of Miss Clennell's three children has also spoken of her belief that she knew her killer.

She thinks the 24-year-old prostitute could have arranged to meet the person who lured her to her death.

She said: “I don't know who it could be but she said she used to see a regular punter who had lots of money. But who is he?

“This man needs to come forward. He knew her and he could help the police.”

Paying tribute to Miss Clennell, she revealed how the mother-of-three became addicted to drugs after her children were taken away two years ago. Her beloved pet dog Beanie has also been cared for by a relative for several years.

She said: “She always thought she would get them back, even until recently. Having your children taken away is the most heartbreaking thing you could ever know.”

She said she preferred to remember Miss Clennell as the girl they took on a family holiday to Disneyworld, in Florida four years ago.

She said: “It's such a wasted life. I know the real Paula - the person that people who think of her just as a prostitute don't know.”