Matthew Woodcock looks at how Caroline Stuttle's parents have kept their daughter's name alive.

EVERY parent's worst nightmare became a reality for Alan and Marjorie Stuttle on April 10, 2002.

Their lives would never be the same again following the late-night visits by the police to their respective homes telling them that Caroline had been murdered.

Marjorie said she was "hysterical" with sorrow and remembers little of the immediate aftermath as she struggled to accept life without her daughter.

Alan bravely endured the ordeal of formally identifying Caroline in the mortuary at York Hospital after she was flown back from Queensland. He described it as being "like trying to wake up from your worst nightmare, but realising you can never wake up".

But rather than become consumed by grief, the couple became determined to salvage something positive from the tragedy. For the last two years, they have each embarked on two very different, but equally remarkable, personal journeys of hope, that will preserve Caroline's adventurous spirit for years to come.

Marjorie became inspired to think of ways to help and protect other young gap-year travellers abroad after reminiscing with friends about her daughter's love of rainbows.

Within days she had come up with the outline of what would be Caroline's Rainbow Foundation, a now nationally-recognised charity committed to raising awareness about the importance of personal safety when teenagers go abroad. It is currently working with bodies such as the Foreign Office, overseas consulates, and the Youth Hostel Association, to offer direction towards the relevant funding, provisions and information that is currently available to support young travellers. The foundation will assist backpackers in Australia, initially, and ultimately the worldwide backpacking 'route', if they find themselves in difficulties.

Marjorie's rock through the dark days has been her new husband, David Marks. His support gave her the strength to go on, and their wedding earlier this year was, "a bit of good news out of the tragedy".

By a twist of fate, the couple had their first date on the day Caroline was murdered, and Marjorie's final text message from her daughter read: "Have a nice time with David".

Alan Stuttle, meanwhile, turned to painting for comfort and inspiration, devising a plan to give other teenagers a chance to follow their dreams.

He sold his renowned gallery in Micklegate, and embarked on his own adventure abroad, to paint his "wonders of the world".

On his return, he set up the Richard and Caroline Painting Bursary at Huntington School, where she had been a pupil, to encourage students' artistic talent through travel.

The bursary of £500 was recently awarded for the first time to Jane Bradley, of York, who will be using it to travel to the United States.

Alan is also releasing a book about his experiences based on a diary he kept in the first 100 days after Caroline's murder.

He hopes it will help victims' families in the future.

Updated: 12:03 Friday, October 15, 2004