Pupils in limbo as they wait for news of friend

Up to 30 teenagers at Royal Manor Arts College have used the support service since Kyle Moore went missing in Portland Harbour.

Headteacher Paul Green said the school is devastated by Kyle's absence and his friends are in a state of limbo'.

Kyle and friend Richard Webb, both 14, hit trouble when the rowing boat they were in capsized in a storm in the early hours of Sunday.

The crew of Weymouth lifeboat plucked Richard from the freezing water, but Kyle is yet to be found.

Mr Green said: "We've had a lot of youngsters coming to the counselling service and we've shed a lot of tears.

"Kyle's friends - and there are lots of them - are devastated by his absence."

In a special assembly classmates shared thoughts and feelings about Kyle.

And science teacher and coastguard Malcolm Wright was able to update the school on the search.

Mr Green said: "We lit a candle and used that as a symbol of light in the darkness.

"We're a very family-orientated school - everybody knows everybody else - and Kyle's a very recognisable figure.

"He's very funny and mischievous and he's liked by everyone.

"All our thoughts are with his mother Susan and his sisters Lauren, who came to Royal Manor, and Charly, who is in year nine.

"We know they are three very strong women, but we know they will need a lot of support."

He continued: "The biggest difficulty for all of us is being in limbo.

"Everybody's walking round asking What's the outcome?' - and we just don't know.

"All we can do is fill in the voids with as much information as we can. I do occasionally see groups of pupils huddled in corners talking and generally looking after each other.

"I think everybody's dealing with it in their own way."

He added: "I feel very strongly that Richard mustn't be forgotten in all this.

"We're thankful he was miraculously saved, but mustn't forget it was a very traumatic experience for him.

"And now he's in the same uncertainty about his lost friend as we are."