Rikki Neave murder: Two teenage boys sought after Crimewatch appeal

Police want to talk to two teenage boys sighted leaving the woods where Rikki was later found

Detectives want to talk to two teenage boys over the murder of a six-year-old boy in 1994 after BBC Crimewatch viewers provided new information.

The case of strangled schoolboy Rikki Neave was featured on the programme on Monday night.

Rikki's body was found in woodland close to his home on the Welland Estate in Peterborough in November 1994.

Police issued artists' impressions of two boys seen walking out of the woods where Rikki's body was discovered.

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This sighting was at about 06:30 GMT on 29 November, the day after Rikki had skipped school and was seen around the Welland Estate.

Another person contacted Crimewatch to report a sighting of Rikki on 28 November, outside the shops in Scalford Drive between 17:00 GMT and 18:00 GMT.

He left with two teenage boys.

Rikki Neave, six, was found strangled and naked in woodland in Peterborough

Police said they also received a report of someone matching Rikki's description seen outside the flats in Tilton Court, walking with a teenage boy with a dog at about 21:00 GMT on the same day.

A fourth person said they saw two boys pushing a buggy in Belvoir Way, heading towards the wood where Rikki was found.

A reconstruction of Rikki's last-known movements was shown on the BBC programme. Officers received 17 calls about the investigation.

Despite an extensive police investigation at the time, no-one has been brought to justice

Det Supt Paul Fulwood said Cambridgeshire Police had taken some "significant" calls after the appeal which would be followed up.

"We're really excited by the progress," he said.

The teenagers being sought - now middle-aged men - are believed to still be living in the local area, he said.

His mother, Ruth Neave, was cleared of murder but admitted child neglect and cruelty and was jailed for seven years.

Det Supt Fulwood said "there will always be that stigma of what happened 21 years ago".

"I can't emphasise enough that this is a fresh investigation, Ruth Neave has been working with us and we have been supporting her and we are well-versed in cold case investigations," he added.

A reward of up to £10,000 is on offer for information which leads to the arrest and conviction of Rikki's killer.

Rikki with his father Trevor Harvey, and mother Ruth Neave after her conviction for child cruelty