Police hunt car couple

Police investigating the stabbing of a young mother are hunting a man and a woman, it was revealed today.

A couple were seen driving a blue Peugeot at high speed towards the crime scene minutes before Abigail Witchalls was stabbed in the neck.

Detectives described the new line of inquiry as "very significant".

Mrs Witchalls's condition was improving today although she remains critically ill in intensive care. The 26-year-old was attacked on Wednesday afternoon in a private lane just a short walk from her home in the affluent village of Little Bookham, Surrey.

Her family, who are devout Catholics, remained at her bedside today. In a short statement released to the media they said: "We, Abigail's family, are experiencing intense pain and sorrow at what has happened. We ask everyone to join with us in praying for Abigail and live in hope for the future."

Detective Superintendent Adrian Harper, who is leading the inquiry, said today: "We have overnight received some very significant information that has produced a major line of inquiry for the investigation.

"At around five minutes to four on Wednesday afternoon three landscape gardeners who have been working in the area were driving in a white Transit tipper lorry out from Burnhams Lane, when they were passed by an older blue Peugeot car driving in the opposite direction.

"This car was moving very fast and was in fact nearly in collision with them. They noticed that the car was out of keeping with the neighbourhood and the timing and location put the vehicle very close to the crime scene shortly before the offence took place.

"Inside the car were two people. A white male was driving, described as being clean-shaven but with some stubble, in his early twenties and wearing earrings and a gold chain around his neck. With him was a white female of about the same age, of a slim build and with blonde shoulder-length hair."

There was criticism from local people that police had taken almost 24 hours to launch an appeal through the media and give people details of the assailant. The police say they had informed the village of the attack but some villagers said the information should have been spread more widely.

Just after the stabbing Neighbourhood Watch leaflets had gone up in the village warning that the suspect was a white man with two earrings driving a blue car.

The gardeners also saw another woman in the area pushing a buggy who had dark hair and was wearing a three-quarter-length beige coat or cardigan who police do not believe was Mrs Witchalls.

"These people could be very significant to the inquiry. They could either be involved in the offence itself or be significant witnesses to it," Det Supt Harper said.

The detective admitted details of the attack remained sketchy and until Mrs Witchalls is well enough to be interviewed by police the only other witness is her 21-monthold son Joseph.

Police said today he was found by his mother's body having somehow clambered out of his pushchair.

Det Supt Harper said: "no one apart from Abigail herself and her son Joseph actually saw what took place and so far Abigail has not been able to give us any confirmed information about what happened.

"Two neighbours heard her shouting and rushed out to help. They found Abigail lying on the footpath with a single three-inch stab wound to the back of her neck. Joseph, her son was out of his buggy and close to the body. He does not appear to have been harmed in any way."

The motive for the attack remains a mystery but with two main theories - either that it was a robbery that went wrong or a completely random stabbing.

"Of course we are concerned this person might strike again," said Det Supt Harper.

He revealed police were at the scene within 11 minutes of receiving a 999 call. The area was sealed off by uniformed officers who called in a helicopter to search for the attacker. By yesterday a team of 150 was working on the inquiry.

Defending the delay in issuing an appeal for public help to find the attacker, a spokeswoman for Surrey police said: "It took some time to establish exactly what had happened.

"Bearing in mind that nobody had actually seen the incident take place, before going out with an appeal that would alarm the public we wanted to make sure that we had the facts absolutely correct."

Mr Harper said the village has also been "flooded" with uniformed officers in a bid to calm the nerves of the local population.

"This has been described as one of the safest corners of the safest counties in England. That is an accurate description in terms of the level of crime that normally takes place here and makes what happened all the more shocking.

"I would like to repeat the determination to catch whoever is responsible for this terrible crime. We are prepared to do whatever it takes to accomplish this."

He also praised the great dignity and courage with which Mrs Witchalls' family - including her husband Benoit - have handled the terrible situation.