Appeal over woman's unsolved murder, 70 years on

Alice Barton's mutilated body was found in a since-demolished wartime pillbox in the Fender Valley

Seventy years ago, the discovery of a woman's mutilated body in a wartime pillbox shocked the people of Merseyside and sparked a huge manhunt.

Despite detectives' best efforts the killer of Alice Barton, who had been strangled before being left near a stream in the Fender Valley in the Woodchurch area of Birkenhead on 24 September 1955, has never been found.

Merseyside Police has appealed for anyone with any information about what happened to the 49-year-old to contact them.

A force spokesperson said: "It's never too late to do the right thing and come forward with information about who was responsible for killing Alice."

Newspaper reports said more than 40,000 people were questioned in relation to her murder.

"No murder investigation is ever closed," the police spokesperson explained.

"We are still appealing for information to assist our investigation so we can get answers.

"I would urge people in the community for their help and remind them that it's not too late to come forward with any information you may have, no matter how small."