Student's family appeal to killer

The parents of Gabriel Ferez appealed for people to come forward

The parents of a French student who was stabbed to death and set alight in a London flat say his killer "will not be able to live in hiding forever."

Gabriel Ferez, 23, was killed along with his friend Laurent Bonomo, also 23, in New Cross last Sunday.

Mr Ferez's parents said to those behind the killings: "Rest assured that we will not leave you in peace."

A man, 21, is being questioned about the deaths. Police are to appeal to people in the area on Sunday night.

Officers investigating the case will be in the area around Sterling Gardens, close to the flat where the students were found dead, appealing for information from people in the neighbourhood.

'Terrible mistake'

In their statement, Mr Ferez's parents Francoise and Olivier Ferez said: "The events that have happened are still painful to us. We are trying to come to terms with it all.

"We know what happened to our son may have been the result of someone or some people whose psychological state of mind was disturbed."

In a direct plea to the people behind their son's death, Mr and Mrs Ferez said: "You will not be able to live in hiding forever.

"You may be scared and feel like a coward, but you must recognise this terrible mistake you made. Rest assured that we will not leave you in peace."

The Ferez family also appealed for help from "our friends the British people".

Tests revealed Laurent Bonomo suffered 80 stab wounds after he died

They added: "If you know of anything unusual or suspicious that may help in this investigation - someone acting strangely, something you overheard, someone who has gone missing - please do report this to police.

"Do not feel useless or like an 'informer'. Someone, somewhere must know something that will help to solve this terrible crime."

The badly burned bodies of Mr Bonomo, from Velaux, and Mr Ferez, from Prouzel, were found with more than 240 stab wounds.

A post-mortem examination revealed Mr Bonomo suffered 80 wounds after he died.

Both men were biochemistry students in the third year of a masters degree at Polytech Clermont-Ferrand in central France

They had been chosen to take part in a research project at Imperial College and were due to return home next month.

Police said they thought items may have been stolen from the flat in Sterling Gardens where the pair were killed.

Det Ch Insp Mick Duthie said the flat had been burgled on 23 June and a laptop stolen.

Detectives think their bank cards and two Sony PSP games consoles were taken on the day they were killed.

A man was arrested at 0340 BST on Saturday and is being held at a police station in south-east London.