An elderly man who recently died of cancer left a confession to a murder unsolved for almost 38 years.
Harvey Richardson, 78, left nine sides of A5 paper detailing the strangulation of 19-year-old Lorraine Jacob in Liverpool in September 1970.

Her death remained a mystery until the letter was found in Richardson's home in Aspull, near Wigan.

Merseyside Police are working with forensic and handwriting experts to corroborate the confession.

Det Supt Ian Kemble, leading the investigation, said the letter was detailed and quite old with yellow staining.

I don't think it is something that has been written in the last five or six years

Det Supt Ian Kemble

But, crucially, it does not give any firm indication the Richardson wrote it, he added.

Mr Kemble said: "The confession isn't dated, it's not signed, so how do we know he wrote it?

"Well, we don't know that until we have expert evidence.

He added: "I don't think it is something that has been written in the last five or six years."

Miss Jacob was last seen walking alone in Liverpool along Pilgrim Street towards Hardman Street late at night on 1 September 1970.

Her body was found early the following day by refuse workers in a back alley behind a building in Rodney Street. Some of her clothing was missing.

Hospice death

Merseyside Police announced on 18 February that they were reopening the case following the death of the pensioner.

He died of cancer in a hospice in Wigan on 9 February.

In addition to the note, decorators at the property found an airgun, an item of clothing and newspaper cuttings about the killing.

Richardson is believed to have lived in Huskisson Street, Liverpool, and worked in a restaurant, possibly called The Mariners, at the time of the murder.

Detectives have also released a photograph of Richardson when he was aged 36, four years before Lorraine was killed.