The trial of Mr Ian Huntley, the caretaker accused of murdering schoolfriends Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman last year, has been delayed until November.
Mr Huntley (29), was due to go on trial on October 6, along with his girlfriend at the time of the deaths, former teaching assistant Ms Maxine Carr (26).The trial, expected to be one of Britain's most high profile court cases in recent years, will now begin on November 3, a spokeswoman for London's Old Bailey court said. No other details of today's adjournment hearing can be reported for legal reasons.
Holly and Jessica, both 10, vanished from their homes in Soham, Cambridgeshire, eastern England, on August 4 last year, sparking a two week media frenzy as locals joined hundreds of police officers in scouring the countryside.
Footballer David Beckham was among the high-profile figures to appeal for help in finding them. The girls had both been wearing red Manchester United shirts inscribed with their idol's name when they disappeared.
The search ended when their decomposed bodies were found two weeks later in woodland near a US air force base.
Ms Carr and Mr Huntley were both arrested shortly afterwards.Mr Huntley, who has admitted one charge of conspiring to pervert the course of justice, denies murder while Ms Carr has pleaded not guilty to two charges of helping an offender and a charge of perverting the course of justice.