A coroner has returned a verdict of unlawful killing at the inquest into the death of teenager Shafilea Ahmed.

The East and South Cumbria Coroner Ian Smith told the inquest: "She was murdered. I'm convinced of that because of the way in which the body was disposed, it had been hidden and she had been taken many miles away from home."

The student went missing from her home in Warrington, Cheshire, in September 2003, her badly decomposed body was found by workmen on the banks of the River Kent five months later.

School friends, teachers and council workers have claimed in evidence that she confided in them that she was beaten and had money stolen from her account by her parents.

Shafilea also told them she believed her parents planned to take her to Pakistan and force her into an arranged marriage.

However, Iftikhar and Farzana Ahmed have denied there is any truth in the allegations made by their daughter.

Mr Smith said he believed Shafilea died within a few hours of leaving work on the night of September 11, 2003.

He believed the concept of an arranged marriage was "central" to the circumstances leading up to her death.

He said: "She did not want to marry someone she did not know or may not like. She wanted to forge ahead with a career, she did not want to stop her studies and she did not want to live abroad."

Two months before the discovery of her body, Cheshire Police arrested Mr and Mrs Ahmed on suspicion of kidnap, but they were later released.

Pathologist Dr Alison Armour told the inquest she believes the teenager did die in suspicious circumstances and has ruled out death by any natural causes.

She said the probable cause of death was either by smothering or strangulation.

The police insist the case will remain open until the killer is caught.

Superintendent Geraint Jones, the senior investigating officer, said: "This has been a huge investigation spanning many counties and countries. Every piece of information has been pursued to the end.

"There is someone out there who knows what happened to Shafilea and has not told us. Now is the time to come forward and help bring to justice the killer or killers of Shafilea Ahmed - a beautiful and vulnerable young girl."

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