Amelie's parents speak of pain

The French student came to London to improve her English

The family of murdered French student Amelie Delagrange have said her life was ended by "the mad actions of a predator".

The 22-year-old's parents, Jean-Francois and Dominique, and sister Virginie, spoke of their grief after Amelie was bludgeoned to death.

She was killed on Twickenham Green, south west London, on 19 August.

On Thursday night police are carrying out a reconstruction of her last movements to find more witnesses.

In a statement the family, who are in the UK, said: "Her radiance and joy of living, described by her friends, brutally ended at 22 years old by the mad actions of a predator.

Amelie Delagrange's last movements

"The news that we have heard has brought us indescribable pain and has devastated our family."

Miss Delagrange had come to London two months ago to improve her English and worked at a delicatessen in Richmond, south west London.

Police have already carried out a dummy run of the reconstruction for the benefit of the media.

Miss Delagrange's last footsteps were retraced by Pc Sarah Swift, 29, who was dressed identically in a white zip-up cardigan, red vest top, white three-quarter-length trousers, white backless trainers with a pink stripe and a chain around her neck.

She will repeat the reconstruction on Thursday night in the hope witnesses will remember seeing Miss Delagrange's final steps.

During the emptiness that we feel when thinking of our daughter and sister we appeal to everyone to help the police with their inquiries Family statement

She had been drinking at Cristalz wine bar with four friends on the evening of her murder.

Police said one of her female friends had eye-catching magenta-coloured hair which they believe may have caught the attention of passers-by.

Miss Delagrange took a number 267 bus marked Fulwell at 2139 BST to get home.

She was supposed to get off the bus three stops later but instead continued for a further four stops until the bus terminated at Fulwell bus garage.

CCTV footage shows her looking anxiously out of the window as she realised she was now as far away from Twickenham Green as when she started.

Pc Sarah Swift carried out the reconstruction

After the bus stopped, she spoke briefly with the driver, seemingly to check the direction back to the green.

She set off back up the road and was again caught on CCTV at 2151 BST on a camera mounted on the Loch Fyne fish restaurant and oyster bar.

Eight minutes later, she was caught on film for the final time 40 yards from the green.

Detectives believe she went over a zebra crossing next to a primary school and straddled a 2ft white fence onto the green.

From there she could see to the far side, less than 200 yards across a cricket pitch.

The killer struck about halfway across the pitch.

A statement from Miss Delagrange's family said: "During the emptiness that we feel when thinking of our daughter and sister who was killed in abominable circumstances we would appeal to everyone in and around the local area to help the police with their inquiries."

AMELIE'S LAST MOVEMENTS

1. Got on bus after leaving the wine bar 2139 BST
2. Arrived Fulwell Bus Garage 2145 BST
3 & 4. Seen at 2151 BST and 2159 BST
5. Body found 2226 BST

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