The parents of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman faced added torment tonight after post-mortem examinations on their daughters' bodies failed to pin-point the cause of death.
The five-hour examinations proved inconclusive and further tests will be needed over the next few weeks, police said. This means the girls' funerals cannot be held for some time.
The blow came as police were expected to go before magistrates in Cambridgeshire within the next few hours to seek permission to continue to question Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr about the killings.
Huntley, 28, and 25-year-old Carr were arrested on suspicion of murder on Friday. Police only have permission to question them until 4am tomorrow unless they are granted a 24-hour extension by magistrates.
That would give them the maximum possible 96 hours before they have to charge or release the college caretaker and his girlfriend, by 4 a.m. on Wednesday.
PA