Karen Hales murder: 'Fresh information' on 1993 killing

Karen Hales was murdered 25 years ago and her killer has never been found

Detectives investigating the death of a mother who was killed in front of her daughter 25 years ago say they have received "fresh information".

Karen Hales, 21, was stabbed multiple times and her body set on fire on 21 November 1993. Her killer has never been found.

Suffolk Police said it had received 14 calls or messages from members of the public following an anniversary appeal.

The force said it would "actively pursue" the new lines of inquiry.

Det Supt Andy Smith said the "fresh information" received "had previously not formed part of the investigation".

He said: "It is very encouraging as, despite the passage of time, there are clearly people who still remember things from 1993 that they think may be of assistance."

Karen Hales's daughter Emily was only 18 months old when her mother was killed in front of her

On the day she was killed, Ms Hales was with her 18-month-old daughter, Emily, at home in Lavenham Road.

Her fiancé Peter Ruffles, Emily's father, had left at 15:50 GMT to go to work.

Shortly before 16:40, her parents, Graham and Geraldine Hales, called in at the house and entered through the unlocked front door.

They were confronted with smoke and flames and found their daughter had been stabbed and an attempt made to set her alight.

Ms Hales's family said it would "mean everything" to discover her killer

On the day of the murder, there were at least two inches of snow on the ground.

Police found Ms Hales's purse was missing, as were two Laser knives.

The murder featured on the BBC's Crimewatch UK in 1994 and a £50,000 reward was co-ordinated by the then Evening Star newspaper in 2005, but neither appeal provided a breakthrough.

Her family said it would "mean everything to us" to know who killed Ms Hales and why.

Karen Hales was killed at home on Lavenham Road, Ipswich