The father of 10-year-old Sara Sharif wrote a note admitting that he had killed his daughter, a court heard on Wednesday.

The Old Bailey heard that police had discovered the note under a pillow by Sara’s body at her home in Hammond Road, Horsell.

Written by her father Urfan Sharif, 42, the note said he killed her “by beating”.

It read: “Love you Sara.

“Whoever see this note it's me Urfan Sharif who killed my daughter by beating. I am running away because I am scared but I promise that I will hand over myself and take punishment.

“I swear to God that my intention was not to kill her but I lost it. My daughter is Muslim. Can you bury her like Muslim may be. I will be back before you finish the post-mortem.”

Mr Sharif, Sara's stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, and her uncle Faisal Malik, 29, have denied murdering the girl.

PC George Van Der Wart, who attended the address where Sara’s body was found, told the court that the property was “clean, all put together” with “no signs of disturbance”. He also described finding the body of the girl in an upstairs bedroom.

A phone call made by Beinash Batool to Southall Travel to book the flights to Pakistan was played in court, as was the emergency call Mr Sharif made to police.

The trial continues.