While a Brazilian man has been arrested after allegedly admitting to the grisly murder a British teenager, whose headless torso was found in a suitcase, local Brazilian fire crews are still searching for her other body parts, which remain missing.

Some remains of 17-year-old Cara Maria Burke, of Wandsworth, south London, were found on the side of a motorway on Tuesday in Goiania, in the central state of Goias, while the search continues for the rest.

The UK Foreign Office has confirmed the death of a British national. A spokesperson said: "The body was discovered early on Tuesday. Next of kin have been informed and we are providing consular assistance to the family."

Goias State Police have said Brazilian national, Mohamed D'Ali Carvalho Santos, 20, had admitted murdering her.

Mr Santos, who had been linked to Ms Burke, even photographed her remains on his mobile phone, it is alleged by Brazilian detectives.

Police Inspector, Jorge Moreira da Silva alleged that Mr Santos killed Ms Burke after she had threatened to tell his parents that he was a drug dealer addicted to cocaine.

Lenita Aves, a spokesman for Goiania's Policia Civil, which is investigating the murder, has alleged that Mr Santos admitted stabbing her to death with a kitchen knife at the home they shared before going off to a party and then cutting her body into pieces and putting parts of it into a suitcase next day.

Chief of Police in Goias, Jose Maria da Silva, told Sky News that the body parts where identified by a distinguishing tattoo.

A BBC correspondent in Brazil said that Mr Santos was arrested on Wednesday night in a place used to buy drugs.

The suspect told the BBC that he and Ms Burke had been friends but were "not in a relationship". He said he had liked her but she had another boyfriend in Brazil.

It is reported that the couple met in London and travelled to Brazil around three months ago.

Brazilian police believe that Ms Burke may have travelled to the country to marry Mr Santos to secure him a UK visa.

Police believe that Mr Santos was then angry at her refusal to keep a commitment to marry him.

It is understood the Ms Burke's family were initially alerted to her death after a report was broadcast on Brazil's Record TV.

Goiania is the capital and the largest city in the state of Goias, in the central-western region of Brazil.

(DS)(BMcC)