THE parents of a murdered Hampshire teenager today spoke of their determination to see justice prevail - from the country holding the prime murder suspect.

Hannah Foster a promising medical student, was just 17 when she was abducted, raped and strangled after enjoying a night out with friends in Southampton in March 2003.

Parents Hilary and Trevor flew to India on Friday where they will come face to face with prime suspect Maninder Pal Singh Kohli at a court hearing.

Speaking ahead of the hearing, Mr and Mrs Foster said that despite delays with the extradition of Kohli they would not rest until their daughter's killer was brought to justice.

In a statement to journalists, Mr Foster, 56, said: "After our last visit we didn't expect that we would be speaking to the Indian press and TV again.

"It is now February 2007, and a year has gone by since our last visit and no decision on extradition has yet been taken.

"The extradition hearing has now been running for two and a half years. There have been over a hundred court sessions.

"Try to understand how this extradition delay is compounding our distress.

"On that day in March 2003, which will be forever etched in our memory, when we saw Hannah's body lying in the mortuary, Hilary and I made a promise that we would not rest until Hannah's killer was brought to justice. Four years later that promise is a long way from being honoured, but we are no less determined."

It was two-and-a-half years ago during a trip to India by the Fosters that Maninder Pal Singh Kohli was captured.

Thanks to the publicity generated by Mr and Mrs Foster's first visit to India, Kohli, 37, was recognised and arrested, and extradition proceedings against him were started.

Since then some 100 court appearances have come and gone, 35 appeals been lodged and still the family are no nearer seeing Kohli face justice.

The couple, of Grosvenor Road, added: "We are struggling under the weight, but we cannot put the boulder down and rest, in case it rolls back down the mountain.

"We have to reach the summit of this mountain to end our journey and find respite.

"For us extradition is only the first stage of the journey up the mountain and already our strength is being sapped away by the delays.

"Two and a half years seems an eternity of waiting and not knowing.

"This delay is unfair on us and, if the accused is innocent, just as unfair to him. No one is benefiting from the delay - nobody can get on with his or her life until a decision is reached on extradition.

"It cannot be allowed to drag on indefinitely. This has to happen so we can move on with our lives.

"We want to recall and cherish the happy memories of how Hannah lived her life, and be rid forever of the nightmare memories of how she died."