Murder police interview 1,000 people

Wendy Sewell was found in Bakewell's cemetery

More than 1,000 people have been interviewed by police re-investigating the murder of Wendy Sewell, who was found dead in a Derbyshire cemetery in 1973.

The second investigation began in April this year after Stephen Downing's conviction for her murder was quashed three months earlier - he had served 27 years in jail.

Officers have travelled across the country to follow up leads in the investigation which detectives have said will be a "hard slog".

It is expected the independent inquiry into the case will be completed by Autumn.

Rumour mill

Officers have reviewed initial statements and reports from 1,600 people.

From that more than 1,300 items of information have been entered on to a database used by the inquiry team.

Wendy Sewell was the victim of a brutal attack

Detectives have travelled to Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Shropshire, Wales, Sussex, Devon and London to follow up leads.

Detective chief superintendent David Gee, of Derbyshire Police, said: "I acknowledge that some people and their families have been disrupted and inconvenienced by our enquiries and I apologise for that.

"However, people who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear from our investigation.

"I give my personal assurance that any allegations made to us will be thoroughly investigated to arrive at the truth rather than responding to rumour and speculation."

Ms Sewell, a 32-year-old typist, was savagely beaten with a pickaxe handle.

She died two days after she was discovered in the Bakewell cemetery.

Stephen Downing, who was then a 17-year-old groundsman, signed a confession which he later retracted and always maintained his innocence.