Serial killer Rose West is said to be planning to marry the bass player from Slade in Durham jail, following a letter-writing romance.

The Durham inmate, who is serving ten life sentences for killing ten young women and girls, is said to have 'fallen in love' with Dave Glover after exchanging letters with the 36-year-old musician while in prison.

She is not thought to have met the bass player, who joined the legendary rock band just three years ago, but there are rumours they are hoping to marry in Durham Prison's chapel.

Rose West, 48, was jailed in 1995 for a string of convictions relating to the murders at the House of Horrors on Cromwell Road in Gloucester, where bodies of victims were buried under the house and in the garden.

She has been told she will never be freed from jail for the killings she carried out with husband Fred West, which included the murder of her daughter Heather and step-daughter Charmaine. Fred hanged himself on New Year's Day 1995 before he could stand trial.

About three years after she was imprisoned at Durham Prison, Rose West is said to have opted to cook her own food as she was frightened some inmates would try and poison her. She has also had her cell set on fire.

The Home Office's Prison Service said today it could not comment on individual prisoners but said in order to marry while in jail, an application must be made to the prison governor.

A spokeswoman said: "They get a civil rights marriage and whilst the Prison Service does not encourage marriage whilst in custody, we give all requests full consideration."

West's solicitor Leo Goatley yesterday declined to comment on the rumoured wedding, but it is believed Rose West recently wrote to him, telling him she had 'fallen in love with one of the members of Slade.' She is said to have described Dave Glover as a 'better choice' than her dead husband.

On the Slade Official Messageboard yesterday, a fan's e-mail sent into the discussion forum today entitled 're newspaper reports' was censored, with the explanation from the website organisers saying they had closed the topic because it had been decided, 'not to talk about this is in the forum.'