Abingdon's leading churchman has called on people to accept Myra Hindley's repentance for her crimes.

Michael Goode, the Vicar of Abingdon, says that the press and public reaction to the moors murderess's death after 36 years in prison "should make us very uncomfortable".

Media headlines following her death quoted families of victims claiming that the former partner of fellow murderer, Ian Brady, should 'burn in hell' for the joint torture and killing of several children in the 1960s, whose bodies were then buried on isolated Pennine moorland.

Writing in the St Helen's Church parish newsletter, Mr Goode said that for years, Hindley had been "an embodiment of evil in public consciousness".

But he said: "The real person was almost entirely lost behind the media image, reinforced by that iconic photograph that was so often reproduced.

"So it was hardly surprising that her death evoked a stream of vituperative headlines about her ultimate destination.

"The way in which we have been encouraged to project our own anger, blame and guilt on to her over the years should make us feel very uncomfortable."

Senior police officers on the case emerged from retirement on her death, claiming Hindley had always refused to fully acknowledge her role in the killings.

While serving the longest sentence for a woman prisoner in British history, she re-discovered her Catholic faith, and was supported in her repeated calls for release by the late Lord Longford.

Mr Goode argues that the Myra Hindley of almost 40 years ago at her trial with Brady, was not necessarily the same person in her later years.

He said: "It appears, if those who knew her best are to be believed, that Myra Hindley was indeed repentant, and did indeed become a new person."