The family of a Halstead schoolgirl who was murdered 53 years ago are renewing an appeal to track down her killer.

Twelve-year-old Linda Smith, who lived in Foundry Lane, Earls Colne, never returned from an errand in the village in 1961.

Her body was found four days later and detectives believed she had been strangled by her scarf.

Linda’s sister Sheena Croll, 64, hoped her murderer was still alive so they could be brought to justice.

She said: “If anybody knows anything, even it is just something small, I would urge them to contact the police.

“The years have gone past and maybe they knew something then that they couldn’t say but now they might be able to.”

See this week's Halstead Gazette for the full story.