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The mother of a young British man murdered in Cyprus said she was "disappointed" after meeting Foreign Office officials in a long-running battle for justice for her son.

There are European arrest warrants and Interpol alerts in the fugitives' names, but they are seemingly free from extradition to Cyprus because of the absence of diplomatic relations with Turkey which occupies the north of the island.

George's mother Helen said after the meeting: "I'm slightly disappointed, I'd built myself up and thought we would hear a bit more about the case and what they are doing now. We do have an extra line of communication, which is a good thing.

"When we went to see George in the mortuary we promised him we would do all we could and we won't go back on that."

George's father Martyn said: "It's frustrating, but I feel a little bit more confident with a bit more communication going on, which will help."

'Mayhem' bar crawl led to fatal attack

George, 22, was well known in the lively resort of Ayia Napa and had worked the summer season there twice. He was on holiday with friend Ben Barker and taking part in one of the regular "Mayhem" bar crawls in August, 2016.

In the early hours, according to witnesses, the pair were involved in an argument with two men. The men walked off but returned with knives and attacked George and Ben.

George was stabbed several times and died after pulling a knife from his neck as he ran after the attackers. Ben, now 27, was seriously injured but recovered.

The suspects are Turkish national Mehmet Akpinar, 28, and Bulgarian national Sali Ahmet, 48, both wanted by Cyprus police for murder, attempted murder and grievous bodily harm.

Somebody sent the family secretly shot video of a man said to be Ahmet sitting and chatting with friends at a café in Turkey.

Martyn Low said: "I would like Turkey to hand them over and for them to face trial in southern Cyprus and if they be found guilty serve prison time, hopefully life so they don't walk the streets. We've got life without our son and they should serve life in prison."

Taunts on social media

A year ago survivor Ben started receiving troubling Instagram messages, with threats and taunts, apparently from Mehmet Akpinar.

One message read: "If I get hold of you I'll f*** you b****." Another read: "Did you forget the knives you ate?"

In an exchange Ben tells Akpinar he knows he didn't kill George and that Sali Ahmet did. "You just stabbed me," wrote Ben. Akpinar replied: "I know."

"I think what Akpinar is trying to do is shift all the blame on to Sali Ahmet and is trying to clear himself. That's why he's been messaging, he wants to start his life and put all that behind him," said George's dad at the family home in Dartford, Kent.

Helen Low said: "He probably wants to move on with his life, perhaps get married and have kids and he's always looking over his shoulder.

"They can say all they like who did it and who didn't do it but, unless they're there standing in a court where we need them to be. What I don't understand is, if he's willing to say all this why doesn't he just come forward and say 'I put my hands up, I was there, I was involved but didn't kill George'."

She added: "They are the scum of the earth. We've gone through all the difference emotions and the one that lasts is the anger.

"We're never going to see George, none of his siblings will, but those two are still living their life how they want to live their lives, they can see their family, celebrate special occasions with their family and George has lost out on that and we've lost out on George. It's very hard."

Fight for justice

The family's MP Gareth Johnson has been helping them lobby the Government and Cyprus authorities for more action in exploring the possibility of putting the suspects on trial in Cyprus. He set up the meeting between Foreign Officials and George's and Ben's parents.

Mr Johnson, MP for Dartford, said after meeting: "It's a very frustrating situation for the Foreign Office who are trying too deal with the political situation in Cyprus which is very complex. There is a lot of animosity between the north and Southend the suspects have taken full advantage of that animosity."

Mr Johnson added: "There are lots of possibilities. The suspects could travel to a European country where the European arrest warrant could be activated.

"There could be some better co-operation between the North and Southern Cyprus. If either of those two factors happen there is the possibility we could see justice."