Missing car may help catch killer

Police want to trace the current user of the car

Police are trying to trace a car which may help them find the murderer of a Tyneside father-of-three.

Keith Weightman, 48, was found with a single wound to the chest at the back of Crowhall Lane, Felling, Gateshead, on 10 September.

The car, which was last seen in Gateshead on the same day, is a five-door blue Mondeo, registration number M458 HNR.

Three men have been arrested and bailed pending further inquiries.

Det Ch Insp Roger Ford, leading the investigation, said: "My staff and I remain as determined as ever to find those people responsible for the murder of Keith on 10 September.

Keith Weightman died from a single stab wound

"It is vitally important that anyone who has seen this vehicle since the murder or who knows its current location comes forward as quickly as possible so that we can eliminate it from our inquiries.

"I would appeal directly to anyone who has had this car in their possession since Keith's murder in September, or who currently owns the vehicle to come forward and contact the incident room immediately."

So far detectives have questioned 500 people and studied about 900 hours of CCTV footage.

Mr Weightman, of St Cuthbert's Drive in Felling, had two grown-up daughters and a six-month-old son.