The van in which a couple wanted for questioning over a gruesome murder in Surrey are believed to have escaped in was found parked in San Ġwann, last night.

British police believe Lilia Fenech, 23, and her 33-year-old German lover Peter Wallner fled across the English Channel in the white Volkswagen van, registration number RV58 YDX, three weeks ago.

The van, which was legally parked, featured a company logo, showing it was rented from Parkhurst Self Drive Hire, in Molesey, Surrey. It was practically empty inside, except for a purple towel on the driver's seat and a round biscuit tin on the dashboard. The roller shutter at the back was securely padlocked.

Mobile Squad police officers were last night on the spot for some time.

It could not be ascertained last night how the van got there. The couple is wanted by British police after the badly decomposed body of a woman was found in a wheelie bin outside their house in Hamilton Avenue, Cobham, on Saturday.

The police said the two may be able to provide useful information in connection with an investigation into the murder of the unidentified victim, believed to be in her 30s.

Ms Fenech is believed to have been living in the UK for "a number of years" and is thought to be Maltese, a spokesman for the Surrey police said when contacted yesterday.

"We don't know exactly what her history is," the spokesman said. When asked if the UK police had contacted their counterparts in Malta for assistance, the spokesman said details of the couple had been circulated throughout Europe, including Malta.

At the time of writing, the Malta police had still not replied to a series of questions sent on Monday.

The Times of London reported that Mr Wallner told neighbours before he disappeared that he had lost his job as a hotel chef and was going to look for work in Malta.

The body of the woman was discovered after neighbours reported seeing a foot protruding from the bin.

An autopsy established she had suffered a serious head injury but the exact cause of death could not be determined. Inquiries are continuing to determine her identity, which is difficult because of the body's advanced state of decomposition.

Mr Wallner's wife has not been seen for a year.

Surrey police said Ms Fenech is about five feet seven inches tall with dark hair and dark eyes. She could be wearing glasses.

Mr Wallner is heavily built with broad shoulders, roughly six feet tall with slightly receding short brown hair and brown eyes.

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