The family of murdered backpacker Shirine Harburn said they would not rest until her killer was brought to justice.

Shirine, 30, from Langley Green, Crawley, was stabbed 17 times in the chest as she walked alone on a Chinese mountain two years ago.

Her parents listened as a coroner recorded a verdict of unlawful killing against their daughter at an inquest yesterday.

Coroner Roger Stone promised the family the investigation in to Shirine's death was "far from over."

Her father Clive read a statement on behalf of Sheila, and Shirine's sisters, Kiera, 28, and Lianne, 30, in which they said: "Nothing will ever take away the pain we feel and nothing can ever fill the void she has left in our hearts."

Shirine was trekking around the Western Sichuan region when she was attacked on a mountain close to the town of Kangding in May 2000.

Chinese officers found her body in undergrowth 3,000ft up nearby Paomao Hill.# She had been murdered with an 8in knife.

She had separated from her boyfriend and travelling partner Colin Horsfield, now 29, from Crawley. He was never a suspect.

Detective Superintendent Chris Gillings, of Sussex Police, who returned from China this month after meeting detectives there, pledged to use the latest technology to search for Shirine's killer.

He described the 100,000 population of Kangding, where Miss Harburn and Mr Horsfield were staying.

On May 9, 2000, Miss Harburn and Mr Horsfield set off up Paomao Hill. Mr Horsfield took some photographs, while Shirine walked on.

Mr Gillings said samples of clothing worn by Miss Harburn and swabs taken from her body had been brought back from China for forensic testing. He added there was no evidence that Miss Harburn had been sexually assaulted.