THE detective leading the hunt for the killer of a former council gardener is convinced the key to the crime lies in the tight-knit former mining community where he lived.

It is a month since 59-yearold Fred Shipley was bludgeoned to death in the kitchen of his home in Paradise Crescent, Easington Colliery, County Durham, and police have renewed their appeal for help in finding the culprit.

Mr Shipley, who would have been 60 this Saturday, suffered severe head injuries inflicted with a blunt instrument, possibly a hammer.

His body was found at 5.40pm on Saturday, July 3, after neighbours became concerned about not seeing him all day. The night before, he watched a World Cup match with a friend.

There were no signs of a break-in, but he sometimes left his front door unlocked and detectives think he may have known his killer.

A forensic examination and interviews with people who knew Mr Shipley have helped build up a picture of his last hours.

Detective Superintendent Ken Donnelly, who is leading the inquiry, said: “Paradise Crescent is a relatively quiet area, there aren’t a lot of comings and goings in the night.

You would expect that the attack on Fred would have created some sort of disturbance, which may have been heard.

“That’s why I’m asking people again to think back to the evening of July 2 and the early hours of July 3 to see if they remember anything unusual or are they aware of anything that might lead them to believe that a relative or friend may be involved in some way in this brutal crime.”

He particularly wants information about suspicious activity near the house between midnight on July 2 and 5.40pm on July 3, someone behaving out of character, anyone arriving home on July 3 with stained clothes.

Det Supt Donnelly added: “It is tragic that he died in this way, just a month short of his 60th birthday.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0345-60- 60-365 or Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111.