Ex-doorman charged with Milly Dowler murder

Milly Dowler in an undated photo.

LONDON (Reuters) - A former nightclub doorman has been charged with the murder of teenager Milly Dowler, one of Britain's most high-profile unsolved crimes.

Prosecutors said on Tuesday they had charged Levi Bellfield, 41, with the schoolgirl's kidnap and murder.

Bellfield, who also worked as a wheel clamper, was in addition charged with the attempted kidnap of another girl, Rachel Cowles.

Thirteen-year-old Milly vanished while walking home from a train station at Walton on Thames, Surrey, in March 2002.

Her parents, Bob and Sally, have said they will not rest until the "monster" who killed their daughter is behind bars.

She disappeared in broad daylight from a suburban street as she made her way from school.

It was an apparently chance abduction. She had rung her father to say she would be late, she had bought a bag of chips -- and was never seen alive again.

Her remains were found six months later by a couple picking mushrooms in secluded Hampshire woodland, about 25 miles away.

Prosecutor Nigel Pilkington said he had received a file of evidence from Surrey Police in September and had asked officers to carry out further investigations, which were completed last month.

"After carefully reviewing all the evidence in this case, I have now reached the decision that there is sufficient evidence and that it is in the public interest to charge Levi Bellfield with three offences.

"Accordingly, summonses have been obtained from Staines Magistrates' Court and will now be served on Mr Bellfield."

He said he would be meeting Milly's parents shortly to explain his decision personally.

(Reporting by Tim Castle; Editing by Steve Addison)