A British student was beaten about the body and head and possibly raped before being dumped in the sea off a Thai holiday island.

Katherine Horton, 21, a psychology student from Cardiff, had flown to Koh Samui for the New Year with a friend from Reading University.

It is thought that Miss Horton was attacked after leaving her friend and walking alone along the white sand beach to chat on her mobile phone to her mother in Cardiff, on Sunday evening.

Her body was found the next morning floating in shallow water off Lamai beach by jet ski operators. She was still wearing her green evening dress.

Speaking from Thornhill, Cardiff, her mother, Elizabeth, said yesterday that her daughter had already called home once to wish her family a happy new year: "That was the last we heard of her. She sounded so happy out there."

Miss Horton was with Ruth Adams, also 21, on a two-week backpacking holiday. They met up with friends, one of whom rang Miss Horton’s parents yesterday to break the news.

The pair had flown out on December 27 and were staying at the £10-a-night New Hut Bungalow resort on New Year’s Eve. Staff said they had seen the two women together on Sunday night outside their bungalow, and had found out that Miss Horton had been killed only when police arrived.

Miss Adams, who is said to be inconsolable, was last night still helping the authorities. She told police that they had been sitting on the beach in front of the bungalows at 9pm when Miss Horton received a call from her family on her mobile.

She then strolled along the beach as she spoke to her relatives while Miss Adams returned to their bungalow and fell asleep. It was not until the next morning that she realised Miss Horton was missing.

Her body was found a short while later. Local television footage showed her body slumped on the beach wearing a dark green T-shirt.

Dr Pattana Kitkailart who carried out a post-mortem examination in Bangkok, said today: "There were wounds on her head from being hit with a blunt object and on her body and arms there were signs that she was dragged."

He said it was not clear from the post mortem if Miss Horton had been raped, adding that further tests would be conducted.

Major Thanongsak Aksornsom, chief investigator on Samui island, said: "It’s unlikely that this case was an accident but so far we have not issued an arrest warrant and are not interrogating any suspects."

Katherine's mother said last night: "I can’t believe she’s gone. It just doesn’t seem real, it doesn’t seem possible. They were really looking forward to [the holiday] and were very excited. But nobody seems to be able to tell me how she has died or what has happened to her.

"I just want to know what happened to my little girl. They were just going to travel around backpacking before coming home to carry on with their studies. She was such a lovely girl."

Miss Horton, who had been due home on January 10, had two older brothers. Her father, Richard, who also lives in Cardiff, was said to be devastated.

Koh Samui is popular with backpackers, families and budget travellers, and is known for its nightlife and beach parties, often held under a full moon. In recent years there have been reports of rise in crime in the southeastern Thai island, with the appearance of local gangs. Women travellers have complained of being harassed.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office says it had received reports of sex attacks on men and women and advises: "Female travellers in particular should maintain a high state of personal awareness in Thailand."

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