Pulpit plea move in murder probe

Hilary Crowley was last seen alive as she left her home

Police probing the murder of a Stirling pensioner are planning to address worshippers at a church near her home.

Hilary Crowley, 64, was last seen alive on 12 May as she left her home in the city's Cowane Street.

The police plea will include a call for more information and will attempt to reassure the local community.

A uniformed inspector from Central Scotland Police will preach from the pulpit at St Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Upper Bridge Street.

Painstaking investigation

Officers will be on hand in case worshippers have any information to pass on.

Detective Superintendent Andy Price said: "We will be attending the church to tell people what we are doing.

"The purpose will be to reassure the public that we are busy working on this, we are putting all our resources into it, and we are doing our very best.

"We are carrying out a painstaking and detailed professional investigation.

"We have made a lot of progress over the last two weeks, and we remain optimistic and confident that we will resolve this."

Last week, Mrs Crowley's daughter Jane Osbaldeston, 38, travelled to Scotland from her home in Birmingham to make a tearful appeal for anyone with information about her mother's murder to come forward.