It is more than two years since gap year student Caroline Stuttle was killed in Australia. Her mother Marjorie tells Women's Editor Christen Pears how she is keeping Caroline's memory alive by helping other young backpackers keep themselves safe.

WHEN the police arrived at Marjorie Stuttle's house in the early hours of the morning, her thoughts immediately turned to her 91-year-old mother. It never occurred to her that something could have happened to Caroline, her bright and bubbly daughter backpacking her way around Australia.

"All I can remember, apart from screaming and crying, is saying, 'Are you sure? Are you sure?' and not registering that they had found a body," she says.

"You never think that such a tragedy will happen to you. You read about these terrible things but never relate it to your own situation."

It's the only time during our interview when she comes close to tears and she quickly masters her grief. She's determined to stay strong for her daughter and the work being carried on in her name.

It is just over two years since Caroline was found dead underneath a bridge in Bundaberg, a small town in Queensland. The 19-year-old had been travelling with a friend before starting a psychology course at Manchester University. She had left the campsite where they were staying to phone her boyfriend at home in York, but on her way back from the phone box she was robbed and thrown 30ft over the bridge. When her body was found, she was still clutching her handbag.

In the aftermath of Caroline's death, there were days when Marjorie didn't want to get out of bed, days when she sat around the house in her dressing gown sobbing, but finally she has something to smile about. Three weeks ago, she married David Marks, a widower who, by a strange quirk of fate, she met on the day of Caroline's death.

"We went out for lunch and we knew then that we wanted to be together for the rest of our lives. He's been my inner strength," she says.

David visited every day and looked after all the practicalities Marjorie, her ex-husband Alan and their son Richard couldn't face. He dealt with the Foreign Office and arranged for Caroline's body to be brought home. Another man might have walked away but David says the thought never crossed his mind. "It was obvious she needed help and support and from that situation, grew a very intense love for each other," he explains.

The couple have just returned from honeymoon to their home in Allerthorpe, near York and, like any newlyweds, they appear happy and relaxed. Sitting next to each other on the sofa, they exchange little touches and looks of encouragement as they talk.

Together, they run Caroline's Rainbow Foundation, the charity Marjorie set up 18 months ago to provide advice and support to young backpackers - more than 220,000 from Britain last year alone. It's become a full-time job and has given Marjorie a new focus, something to get up for in the mornings.

"It has given me a sense of purpose. My grief is still there but you have to make something positive out of what's happened. The important thing is what we're doing for the future.

"I can't change or rewind the clock. If I spent my time with ifs, buts and being angry, it would destroy me. "

Although still in its infancy, the charity has already raised more than £50,000, thanks largely to the generous support of the local community. Marjorie hopes it will become the first port of call for young travellers and their parents seeking information. It distributes leaflets to schools and colleges and is about to start filming a safety video.

"We don't want them to stop following their dreams but we do want them to be aware of all the dangers out there. The important thing is to do their research and be aware of what's going on around them," says Marjorie.

"Caroline was very aware and safety conscious, but when the phone on the campsite wasn't working, she went out to make a call. It happened in a split second. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time. That's something you can't prevent but there are other things you can."

"If we only save one life, it will be worth it," adds David.

They're also working closely with Safer York and Queensland Police to establish rooms in Australian hostels which will act as a safe haven for youngsters who find themselves in trouble or lose their money. They're taking part in a major safety conference in October and they've just produced their first range of foundation merchandise, including pin badges, pens and silk scarves.

Caroline's 27-year-old brother Richard is in Australia at the moment, travelling and promoting the foundation's work out there. It's been hard for Marjorie, although she never tried to dissuade him. She accepts that he's an adult and she can't stop him doing what he wants. It's his way of working through the grief. Knowing how she worries, he keeps in regular contact but she admits she'll be relieved when he returns home this summer.

At the moment, Marjorie can't face going to Australia, although she does hope to visit next year. There are people she wants to thank; she'd also like to see the places Caroline told her about with such enthusiasm.

The trial of Douglas Previte, the 31-year-old Australian charged with Caroline's murder, will take place at the end of September. Richard and his father both intend to be there but Marjorie says she couldn't bear it.

"You learn to cope with the pain but it never goes away. It's there every day and sometimes it just overwhelms you. It's like a tidal wave. Part of me still thinks she's abroad because it's so hard to accept that she's not coming back."

She finds it difficult to see Caroline's friends getting on with their lives. At a recent wedding, she cried tears of joy for the bride but also tears of sorrow for her daughter and what might have been. She still wakes up regularly at three o'clock in the morning - the time the police arrived to tell her Caroline had been found dead - although she's now usually able to get back to sleep.

"We do have some nice times. Not every day is bad anymore and we know Caroline is with us."

Caroline's presence still fills the house. There are photographs of her everywhere - a blonde toddler with a mass of curly hair; a confident, smiling teenager full of life. But she's there in another way too.

Marjorie believes in life after death. She talks to her daughter all the time and feels her near her, and she takes encouragement from the rainbow, which has become Caroline's symbol.

Visiting Caroline's grave after returning from her honeymoon, Marjorie says she felt overwhelmed by grief. As she drove home, she could barely see the road through her tears, but then a rainbow appeared in the sky - "the brightest rainbow you've ever seen".

"When something like that happens, I know she's there. It's like she's saying, 'It's okay, mum, you're doing it right,' and it gives me the strength to carry on."

* Caroline's Rainbow Foundation, PO Box 216 York, YO42 4WZ. Tel (01759) 304425 www.carolinesrainbow foundation.org