Police hunt honeymoon carjack killers

Police in South Africa were carrying out a murder hunt today after a bride on honeymoon with her British husband was killed in a carjacking incident.

The couple - named in reports as Shrien and Anni Dewani - had been married just two weeks when their people carrier was targeted in a township on the outskirts of Cape Town late on Saturday night.

The gunmen drove off with the newlyweds inside the car, and although Mr Dewani, 31, was later released unharmed, the body of his wife, 28, was found yesterday.

Mr Dewani is said to be from Westbury-on-Trym in Bristol, while his wife Anni was of Ugandan-Asian descent.

Western Cape Police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut said: "The driver was forced out of the vehicle then the two armed suspects took off with the vehicle with the couple inside."

He said the husband was dropped off at midnight in Harare, an area of the township of Khayelitsha.

Officers then began to search for the car but when they found it in a nearby area, the woman was already dead.

Lieutenant Colonel Traut said: "At 7.50am the vehicle was discovered in Lingelethu West. The 28-year-old woman was found in the back seat."

He refused to comment on the cause of death but said a post-mortem examination would take place in the coming days.

Albert Fritz, the region's minister for community safety, appealed for local people to come forward with information.

He said: "This could have happened to any of our loved ones and it is important that communities become involved in doing the right thing."

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of the situation and are providing consular assistance to a British national who is involved, and their family."