Two detectives are flying to France to help authorities investigating the murder of student Isabel Peake reconstruct the moments leading up to her death.

Staffordshire Police Detective Sergeant Peter Sharratt-Freeman and Detective Constable Diane Mahon are flying from Birmingham International Airport to Chateauroux, central France, where the inquiry into the 20-year-old exchange student's death is based.

The officers will be met in the town by the two investigating magistrates, Jean Dematteis and Michel Bonnieu, who will brief them about the reconstruction, to be staged on Saturday at Chabenet station, near Chateauroux, where the body of the Birmingham University exchange student was found.

The body of Miss Peake, who had been a passenger on the night train from Limoges to Paris, was found beside the railway line on 13 October last year.

French authorities have invited the Staffordshire detectives to observe the reconstruction.

Det Sgt Sharratt-Freeman said: "The French authorities came over to England in November last year and we assisted them in their inquiries when they interviewed people over here.

"Certainly, for us, should there be anything that they need in this country, having witnessed the reconstructions we will have a greater understanding of the case."

French police have said they want to question 20-year-old Sid Ahmed Rezala, about Miss Peake's death and other grisly killings.

Rezala - who is said by French investigators to have been the last person to see Miss Peake alive - was remanded in custody in the Portuguese capital Lisbon on Thursday, to await extradition proceedings, after nearly a month on the run.

French authorities also want to question him about the sleeper-train murder of a mother of two near Dijon in November and the death of a girlfriend in Amiens in December.

Det Sgt Sharratt-Freeman said: "We are all aware of the position in Portugal at the moment and we do have to be careful not to say anything that could damage the French inquiry or future investigations.

"It's a matter for the French authorities. They know the issues they wish to clarify."

The investigating magistrates, prosecutor Christian Ponsard, French police and the British detectives will board the train from Limoges to Paris for Saturday's reconstruction.

When the train arrives at Chabenet, in the Indre region, where Miss Peake's body was found, investigators will throw a crash test dummy on to the track.

Mr Ponsard said: "Isabel's body was found partially-clothed. This test will allow us to see if this was because of the wind or because she had been attacked."