Dozens contact murder hunt team

The painstaking search of the murder scene goes on

Police hunting the killer of a woman who was viciously attached while walking her dog say more than 100 people have been in contact.

Anne Nicoll's body was found by her partner, Gordon McKenzie, on Dundee Law on Thursday evening.

He went out to look for the 34-year-old civil servant after she failed to return home with her Airedale dog Sophie.

Officers investigating the murder, which was described as "particularly violent", say they are pleased with the way the inquiry is going.

This inquiry remains critical and we want everyone who uses the area to contact us

Det Chief Insp Andy Allan

But they are now keen to trace anyone with photographs or video footage of the Dundee Law area where Ms Nicoll was killed to get in touch.

Senior investigating officer Det Chief Insp Andy Allan said: "We are delighted with the response we have had from those who use this area for recreation.

"We have taken over 100 calls from people and taken a significant number of statements.

"But this inquiry remains critical and we want everyone who uses the area to contact us.

"It is clear that many people have been taking photographs or video film at the Law in the past two weeks as this is a very popular spot for Dundee residents and visitors."

Devon and Cornwall murders

Specialist search officers from Tayside and Grampian police forces are still searching the heavily wooded area for clues.

As the search continued it emerged that police investigating the murders of a girl and a woman, who were knifed to death while walking dogs in Devon and Cornwall, have been in touch with detectives working on Ms Nicoll's murder.

The hill overlooks the city of Dundee

A Devon and Cornwall police spokesman said on Saturday they had contacted Tayside force because of the "obvious similarities" with the unsolved murders of Devon schoolgirl Kate Bushell and Cornish housewife Lyn Bryant.

Blonde Kate, 14, had her throat slashed as she walked her neighbour's dog in fields near her Exeter, Devon, home on November 15 1997.

And grandmother Mrs Bryant, 41, died from stab wounds to her neck, chest and back while walking her dog a mile from her home in Ruan High Lanes, near Truro, Cornwall on October 20 1998.

A senior officer from the Devon and Cornwall force has spoken to the senior investigating officer involved in the Dundee murder.

Popular dog-walking area

But there were "significant differences" between that crime and the South West killings, said the Devon and Cornwall force spokesman.

There was no intention at this stage to send Devon and Cornwall officers to Dundee, he added.

Officers say they have not yet established a motive for Ms Nicoll's killing.

She had walked up the hill after collecting her dog from her father Angus' house in Kenmore Terrace shortly after 1830 BST.

An hour later, Ms Nicoll was found dead. She regularly took Sophie to Dundee Law and detectives are hoping other dog walkers may have seen something that could help their investigation.

Ms Nicoll was wearing a green fleece jacket, blue jogging-style trousers and white trainers when she was last seen alive.