By News Editor Declan Wilkes

Two French exchange students found in a burnt out flat in New Cross Sunday night were stabbed and tortured to death.

Firefighters quickly put out the blaze off Sanford Road and then found their bound and mutilated bodies.

Immediately cops treated the blaze in Sterling Gardens suspiciously - post mortems have since showed the pair where riddled with stab wounds and have shown signs of being tortured.

'Horrifically murdered'

Det Ch Insp Mick Duthie today called the frenzied attack 'horrific' and he was deeply shocked. They were stabbed in the neck, chest and head before being set alight in what police called a 'lengthy ordeal'. At the press conference he said:

"I have never seen injuries inflicted to bodies like this before."

Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez, both 23, had been studying DNA at Imperial College since May and were due to go home at the end of the month. Their parents have been informed and are being received by the French embassy.

'Fire bombed'

A fire bomb may have been used in an effort to destroy evidence of their murder. Residents reported an explosion. DCI Duthie told reporters an accelerant was used, no weapons have been found.

Earlier break in

Police revealed that someone had smashed into the ground floor flat and stolen a laptop just six days prior. A white male was seen running from the scene and police have appealed for help in tracing him. DCI Duthie said:

"I am appealing for anyone who was in the area of Sterling Gardens at any time over the weekend, and who may have seen or heard anything suspicious near the address, to get in touch.

"I am particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have seen anyone near the premises around 21.30 on Sunday."