GWENT Police officers have now pieced together the final movements of murdered teenager Nikitta Grender on the night before she was stabbed to death before her flat in Broadmead Park was set on fire.

The heavily pregnant 19-year-old, who was due to give birth to daughter Kelsey-May in two weeks, spent the night before her murder out with friends, it was revealed yesterday.

She went in a friend's car to the nearby McDonalds in Spytty before they drove around Newport and Cwmbran.

Miss Grender was dropped off at home at around 1am on Saturday.

Her fire alarm went off at 5.30am, prompting a neighbour to call the fire service.

When firefighters entered the flat, the body of the former Hartridge High School pupil, who had lived there for 12 months, was found in the bedroom.

Police said the fire was probably started by the killer to disguise the attack - the search for the knife is still ongoing and forensic officers are trying to establish what kind of knife was used in the attack.

Detective Superintendent Geoff Ronayne, who is leading the investigation, said the teenager suffered two stab wounds, one of which was fatal, but would not confirm where on her body they were found.

He said forensic tests to establish if she had been sexually assaulted were still taking place and he was keeping an open mind on the motive for her murder.

Police trawled the area surrounding Miss Grender’s home yesterday looking for any evidence which could lead them to her killer.

Officers carried out a painstaking search of neighbouring gardens and a heavy duty machine was brought in to flush out the drains near her home in a search for the weapon used to stab her.

Detectives are still trying to establish whether there were signs of forced entry at the flat.

A major incident team of 50 officers are working on the investigation and police are keen to hear from friends or anyone who knows of Miss Grender's whereabouts, visitors to her flat at or any suspicious activity in the area between 1am and 5.30am on Saturday.

Det Supt Ronayne said police had received 11 calls from members of the public offering information and he still believed information about her killer’s identity lay within the Broadmead and Moorland Park community.

He said: “Somebody out there knows who has done this, they will have great difficulty keeping it away from friends and associates and I ask these people to come forward.

“It is very likely that the individual must be extremely worried about what he has done, or she has done. It is a horrific offence and I am sure that somebody out there, a family member or relative, is noting some sort of change in their behaviour and might know who is responsible.”

Although no arrests have been made in connection with Miss Grender’s murder police confirmed one person was arrested in connection with the arson attack before the murder enquiry was launched. The person has since been released.

Anyone with information should call 01443 865562 to speak to a member of the enquiry team or call 01633 838111 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.