THAMES Valley Police's Major Crime Review Team is appealing for information as the 40th anniversary of the murder of Rita Ellis approaches.

Tomorrow will be the 40th anniversary of the brutal murder of Rita Irene Ellis, a 19-year-old employee at RAF Halton.

Rita's death was on the evening of Saturday, November 11, 1967, and her body was found the following morning close to Rowborough Copse, Halton, near to what was then a coal yard.

Investigators hope someone who lived in the area at the time might have more information which could help them with the case.

The Dedicated Review Team was formed in March 2007 and will be examining all unsolved homicides spanning a 50 year period in the Thames Valley area. In addition, the team also examines unsolved serious sexual assaults from the 1980's to the present.

The team has been set up to enable investigators to concentrate solely on these unsolved serious crimes. Officers will be liaising closely with forensic scientists to ensure that the latest scientific techniques, such as DNA, can be applied to these cases.

Det Supt Barry Halliday, who leads the team, said: "Sunday 11 November marks the 40th anniversary of the murder of Rita Ellis and still no-one has been brought to justice. We will be re-examining all the evidence and are keen to speak to anyone with any information about her murder, however insignificant you think it might be, to contact us.

"This tragic crime was made so much more difficult for Rita's relatives, as they have had to cope with the fact that the case is unsolved."

Anyone with any information should contact Det Con Steve Eaton on the Major Crime Review Team confidential line on 01865 846280, or anonymously via the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.