Murdered girls mother on hacking list

Sara is absolutely devastated by this news,were all deeply disappointed and are just working to get her through it, the charity said in a statement.

The evidence is believed to relate to a phone given to Sara Payne by then News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks as a gift to help her stay in touch with her supporters,the Guardian newspaper said on its website.

In a statement,Brooks said that the latest allegations were particularly upsetting because Payne was a dear friend.

The idea that anyone on the newspaper knew that Sara or the campaign team were targeted by Mulcaire is unthinkable, she said. The idea of her being targeted is beyond my comprehension.

The tabloid had campaigned in the wake of Sarah Paynes murder for the introduction of a so-called Sarahs Law disclosing the addresses of known paedophiles. Sara Payne wrote a farewell column for the papers final edition on July 10,referring to its staff as my good and trusted friends.

Former interior minister Jacqui Smith said she was shocked by the latest allegations. If this is true,it is a very great betrayal of her by people who had worked alongside her to try to improve the safety of children in this country, she told BBC television.