Emily's family finding summer hard without her

Emily Longley. Photo / Supplied

Summer was Emily Longley's favourite time of the year - but her family are spending it without her, for the first time.

Emily, who went to high school on the North Shore, was found dead on Britain in May, sparking an outpouring of sympathy for the much-admired 17-year-old.

Speaking last month, her father, Mark Longley, said the summer holiday period would be difficult for the family.

"It's a tough one. We're obviously going to just get through it. There will be a lot of remembering of Emily, I'm sure."

Mr Longley said his 16-year-old daughter, Hannah, and former wife Caroline were travelling from Auckland to spend time with him in Whakatane. "It will be nice to be somewhere that's a bit neutral, not where Emily grew up," he said.

"She loved the summer. She loved the beach. She was a real summer girl. She didn't like the winters in England."

Emily and her family moved to New Zealand when she was 10 and she attended Hauraki School, Westlake Girls High and Takapuna Grammar. She was a member of the rowing team and appeared as a model in Creme magazine.

"Emily had a real presence about her," Mr Longley said. "You can't really describe it. She walked into a room and you knew it. We're all really missing that warm, enthusiastic kind of presence."

Emily's 18th birthday would have been next month, which made the season doubly difficult, he said.

"She was going to come back here so she could have some of the summer here.

"She was desperate to get to 18.

"I've got Hannah and I want to make it nice for her still."

The family missed being around Emily, Mr Longley said.

Tributes are still being posted on to Emily's Facebook page almost daily.

Her former boyfriend, Elliot Turner, 20, has been charged with murdering her. He appeared in the Winchester Crown Court in England in October and pleaded not guilty.

His trial is set to start in April, and Mr Longley plans to travel to Britain to attend.

Emily had been staying with her grandparents in Bournemouth, south England, while continuing her studies there.