Meredith's body flown to the UK

Her coffin arrived at Heathrow Airport on an Alitalia flight from Rome.

American student Amanda Knox, 20, her Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, 24, and bar owner Diya Lumumba, 37, are suspected of killing Miss Kercher.

The three have all been remanded in custody over the death of the 21-year-old who was found with her throat cut in Perugia on 2 November.

Meanwhile, the parents of two suspects held over the student's murder have visited them in prison in Italy.

Visits were made by the parents of both Miss Knox, who shared a flat with Miss Kercher, and Mr Sollecito, in Perugia.

Leeds University student Miss Kercher from Coulsdon, Surrey, was found stabbed at her flat.

Knife collection

Mr Sollecito's father went to visit his son on Saturday morning.

He said: "He has a passion for knives, but nothing more. There are many forms of collections, but this doesn't imply anything."

On Friday, an Italian investigating judge said a pocket knife owned by Mr Sollecito was probably the murder weapon.

Miss Kercher was stabbed in the neck, and police say she died fighting off a sexual attack.

Miss Kercher shared a room with Miss Knox, who has accused Mr Lumumba of knifing Miss Kercher to death.

According to the judge, Miss Knox said she had to cover her ears to drown out the British woman's screams.

Forensic evidence

The three suspects will remain in jail for up to a year while investigations into Miss Kercher's death continue.

Police are waiting for further forensic evidence before deciding whether to charge them.

All three protest their innocence, but the investigating judge ruled that there was enough evidence to hold them.

In a 19-page ruling, the judge concluded that they should be held until a hearing is fixed to press charges.

Mr Lumumba, from DR Congo, has been in Italy since 1988, while Mr Sollecito was a student at the local university. Miss Knox is from Seattle, Washington state.

Italian news reports said earlier on Sunday that lawyers for Mr Lumumba lodged a request with a court to prevent Miss Kercher's body leaving Italy.

It is thought Mr Lumumba's legal team wanted a second post-mortem examination.

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