A vital witness to a vicious assault in which two police officers were brutally bludgeoned by a dangerous masked burglar armed with a crowbar is being sought by police.

They are urgently appealing for a woman who contacted them shortly after it was revealed the four-year-old case was being re-investigated in January to get back in touch.

They believe she holds the key which could finally unlock the mystery of who was responsible for the attacks on PC Jim Fletcher and WPC Jo Nickerson on the night of February 10, 1995 - an horrific crime which left Brentwood people reeling in horror.

Det Sgt Paul Mullally of Brentwood Police, who was involved in the orginal investigations and this year's appeal, said: "The woman telephoned and gave us some information regarding the name of a person who she had heard had committed the offence."

"She also gave us some other valuable background which was extremely relevant to the investigation and which we now believe to be quite significant.

"She provided some interesting characteristics of this person and the name was certainly not just picked out of a hat.

"We were provided with some very positive details to follow up which we have done but it is imperative that we now speak to her again.

"Her call will be treated in the strictest confidence and I would appeal for her to call me personally, if she prefers, on 01277 261111."

Speaking after the case was re-opened Det Sgt Mullaly said: " Every detective in the country, when they come up against a serious investigation like this which remains unsolved and undetected, doesn't just forget it.

"Every few years they go back to it, re-assess the evidence and look at the investigation again.

"This is especially true where where one of the officers left the force because of the assault.

"The degree of violence was unprecendented. The man was desperate to escape capture.

"If one of the officers hadn't protectected his head with his personal radio he would have undoubtedly received very serious injuries and possibly lost his life."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.