Reward offer over pensioner death

Ruth Owens had two grandchildren

A reward of up to £10,000 is being offered by Crimestoppers for information about the death of Birkenhead pensioner Ruth Owens.

The 76-year-old's battered body was found by her son and a neighbour at her home in Heatherfield Court in Victoria Fields last month.

She was last seen by a workman at about 1000 GMT on 4 December.

But when a neighbour called to her house at about midday there was no answer and her body was found later.

A post-mortem examination revealed the grandmother-of-two died after being hit on the head with a blunt object.

'Despicable' murder

There were no signs of a break-in at Mrs Owens' home, but her handbag had been searched.

Detective Superintendent Russ Walsh from Merseyside Police described the crime as "despicable" and urged people to come forward with information.

"We want people to cast their minds back to 4 December and come forward if they remember seeing anything suspicious at all," he said.

No matter how small they think it may be it could be vital to our investigation.

"We need to trace everyone who visited Heatherfield Court on the day Mrs Owens was killed and this is an important line of our inquiry that I would ask for the public's help on."