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A senior social worker involved in staffing the helpline to cope with calls from people distressed by the murder of schoolgirls Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells has spoken of the commitment of colleagues offering their services voluntarily, writes Sally Gillen.

Jackie Day, one of four social services managers working shifts on the helpline, said many staff had wanted to help, and "there had been no problems covering the shifts".

She added that the deaths of the 10-year-olds, whose bodies were discovered by ramblers two weeks after they disappeared, had been "very touching, dramatic and deeply sad".

Those taking turns to do a three-hour stint on the helpline were dealing with a range of calls from people who were "very distressed and needed counselling" to people who wanted to express their condolences to the girls’ families.

The service, which is offered from 8.30am to 8pm, was set up by the social services emergency duty team the day after the girls were found. Day said: "We are having a briefing session before each shift starts and a debrief after to understand how people are feeling and what other help we might need to offer. We were very busy on the first day and the calls tend to come in waves."

"We have been speaking to our colleagues in education, and there are plans to provide direct counselling for children once they go back to school, " she added.

Michael Leadbetter, president of the Association of Directors of Social Services, said: "Staff in Cambridgeshire cannot be praised highly enough for the sensitive and low-key way in which they have helped their community, and colleagues from other departments, following the devastating tragedy in Soham."

He added that "we should all be grateful for their presence and support to local people in what is and will be a harrowing episode in our national life".