AN anonymous letter sent to The Shuttle could hold the key to catching the killer of retired teacher Betty Yates.

It was typed on a computer and arrived by second class post at our Blackwell Street office on Wednesday last week.

The address was typed on a separate sheet of white paper and taped on to the white envelope. It was marked for the attention of ‘The Editor’.

The letter was immediately handed to police, who opened up “important” new lines of inquiry based on information it provided.

Police investigators are examining it alongside another anonymous letter, which was posted to Bewdley Police Station on Monday last week.

Detectives believe the letters were written by two separate third parties, rather than those responsible for the brutal murder of the 77-year-old widow in her isolated riverside home at Bewdley.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Jamieson, who is leading the murder hunt, believes the letter sent to The Shuttle could have come from a reader who lives in the area and has local knowledge which could prove vital to solving the “horrendous murder”.

He said: “The letter has provided an important line of inquiry for us which we are following up but we would really like to discuss the detail in it with the person who wrote it to establish how they came by that information and what else they know.

“We can only establish the significance of the information in the letter by talking to the author.

DCI Jamieson added: “ I understand that person might be reluctant to come forward but I can assure them they can speak to us in confidence. I would invite them to call me or any officer in the major incident room at Stourport Police Station on 0300 333 3000.”

“This was a horrendous murder and the killer or killers must be caught.

“To help us achieve that we need as much detail as possible from people who might have any knowledge of those responsible.

“Information is still coming in every day from people and we are grateful for that. Every little detail helps us to build up that bigger picture, which is vital to the success of this investigation.”

Mrs Yates’s body was found at the foot of her stairs at Riverscroft, her remote cottage at the end of a track off Dowles Road, on the morning of Wednesday, January 4.She had been beaten with her own walking stick before being knifed in the neck during a violent attack which, police believe, took place on bank holiday Monday, January 2.

Officers want to hear from anyone they have not yet talked to who travelled along Dowles Road between 2pm and midnight on January 2 or anyone who was on the river or either riverbank between Bewdley and Hawkbatch Farm.

They also want to speak to anyone who might have seen any vehicles between those times on the mile-long track leading to the cottage.Police can also be contacted with information on 101 or anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers, on 0800 555111.