BETTY Yates was attacked with her own walking stick before she was stabbed to death in her home, police have revealed today.

Mrs Yates is believed to have been struck several times with the stick during the vicious attack at her cottage Riverscroft, off Dowles Road.

It was recovered by forensic teams working at the cottage and is now being examined along with other items.

Mrs Yates was discovered at the foot of the stairs at her home, on Wednesday, January 4 - two days after she was believed to have been murdered.

Police have also revealed that the widow’s cottage was secure when she was found dead.

Speaking today, Detective Chief Inspector Neil Jamieson, who is leading the murder inquiry, said: “There is every indication that the person responsible may have left and locked the premises up.”

He added that officers were “very keen” to try and locate Mrs Yates’ black pencil case-size purse, which could have had her house keys attached to it and has not yet been found.

“We appeal to anyone who may have found or seen anything like that to hand it in - that could be vital to the investigation,” he said.

He added he also wanted to speak to anyone who had visited Mrs Yates between December 28 and January 2: “We know that Mrs Yates returned from visiting family and I’m keen to locate anybody who may have visited her between those times.”

Video footage taken by local people near the riverside on Monday, January 2 has also emerged and officers are appealing for anybody who was walking on or near the riverside on that day - when Mrs Yates was last seen alive - to come forward.

“It is vital that they come forward and speak to us if they have not already done so,” DCI Jamieson said.

“They might not think they have seen anything relevant but it is still important we talk to them as we seek to establish Mrs Yates’ final movements and who else was in the area.

“The riverside is particularly busy on bank holidays and we need to hear from anyone who may have been there taking photographs or footage, either on foot or if they were on the river itself.”

Anniversary checks are being carried out in Bewdley this afternoon and leaflets are being handed out by officers and posters put up around the town appealing for witnesses and information.

Mrs Yates visited family over the Christmas period and returned home on December 28 - her 77th birthday.

DCI Jamieson said the investigation into her death was going on apace and more than 60 officers were working on the case.

He added forensics officers were still at the scene and had recovered various pieces of information that needed to be followed up.

“I’m adamant that we will seek the person whose responsible,” he said, adding that the theory that it was a burglary gone wrong was still an active line of inquiry they were pursuing and were still keeping an open mind.

“This is obviously somebody whose given some thought after that attack as to what action they’re going to take and I’m keeping an open mind as to who we’re searching for,” said the officer.

He added: “This was certainly a very, very vicious attack on an elderly lady in her private home and that’s why I’m appealing for people to come forward.”

Cordons around Mrs Yates' cottage remain in place today as search teams continue to hunt for clues. Anyone with information should call the major incident room at Stourport Police Station on 0300 333 3000 or crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.