April's blood found in tiled walls grouting of Mark Bridger's home

The legal team representing Bridger, who denies abucting and murdering April, accepted during his trial at Mold Crown Court that it was the little girl's blood after the jury was told DNA tests showed there was only a one in a billion chance that it was not hers.

Bridger, 47, from Ceinws, near Machynlleth, also denies attempting to pervert the course of justice by disposing of, destroying or concealing April's body.

He claims he accidentally crushed April with his Land Rover, put her in his vehicle and drove off with her.

He told police he cannot remember what happened between then and when he woke up at home hours later.

The jury of nine women and three men heard yesterday of the findings made at Bridger's home, Mount Pleasant, in Ceinws, a village three miles from Machynlleth.

There was no outward sign of anything amiss in the house although officers who arrived at 3pm the day after April's disappearance noticed the house was overly warm, with a strong smell of detergent and cleaning fluids.

Miss Elwen Evans QC, prosecuting, said during a careful forensic examination of the house evidence had emerged.

Blood had been found, not on top of the carpet but on the underneath of it and on the floor below.

The largest quantity was by the fireplace in front of the log burner in the living room.

"The defence accepts that this blood was that of April," she said. "What happened to April as she lay bleeding in front of the fire? Only one person knows and he is not prepared to say."

There were also traces of blood on the washing machines and in grouting on tiles in the hallway and behind the bath and toilet as well as specks of blood on the vest and shirt Bridger was wearing when he was arrested.

Miss Evans said the findings showed that Bridger had taken extraordinary steps to clean-up the house, so much so that so special equipment had to be used to make blood traces show up.

Following Bridger's arrest, 20 hours after April Jones disappeared, he was interviewed several times over four days, by police trying to find the five-year-old. His response to the interviews was outlined by Miss Evans.

He told police he went to the Bryn-g-Gog estate in Machynlleth to check that the girlfriend he had split up with that day was all right, she said.

He parked behind a van and, as he went to pull out, he saw two girls on bikes.

The court heard that in interview, Bridger told police: "The car rose up and I knew I had hit something."

April's mother Coral, left the public gallery in tears as Bridger's interview with police continued to be read out.

Mrs Jones, her husband Paul, and other family members sat through yesterday's harrowing evidence, wearing the pink ribbons that had become a symbol of hope for April during the search.

"I crushed her little body. She was absolutely crushed," Bridger said in interview.

"I lifted her little body up but she did not respond. I put her in the passenger seat then there was a sigh and for a split second I thought 'I have got her back'. Then I realised one side of her chest wasn't there."

Bridger told police he was an alcoholic and that he drove around Machynlleth drinking vodka and could not remember what he had done with her.

In interview, he told detectives: "I wouldn't have dumped her, she was a human being. I would have sat her somewhere, so that she could be found."

"It was a pure stupid accident. I want to say sorry to to her family."

Bridger told police that when he realised he no longer knew where April was he searched his house and his garden and went to places he thought he might have put her.

And he told officers desperate to find the little girl: "I did what I could to revive her. I can promise you that she is not alive."

Miss Evans QC said: "The evidence paints an all compelling picture of his guilt."

The case continues.