241 Pizza

A four to five mile square section of the landscape was subjected to chemical sampling and “cadaver” dog searches. Fresh aerial photograhps were compared with those done by the RAF at the time.

This evidence pinpointed a 72,000 square metre section of hillside for more intensive activity. It included a number of gullys answering Brady’s description.

The search team employed a range of tools from simple shovels to the most sophisticated search equipment. Officers also called on the expertise of clinical psychologists, imagery experts, search advisers, geologists, geophysicists, geochemists, archaeologists and anthropologists.

Mrs Johnson sobbed yesterday as she spoke of her disappointment that the search had been fruitless. “I just want Keith found,” she said. “I will never give up as long as I have breath in my body — not just for me but for my family and all of those around me.

Times Archive, 1966: Life for Moors case couple

Ian Brady and Myra Hindley were both sentenced at the bodies on the moor trial to life imprisonment

• Topic: The Moors Murders

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Multimedia

• Pictures: Moors murders

• ARCHIVE: the Moors Murders

“The police search has come to an end but he is up there somewhere, and I want to know where. My health is failing and I am not going to live for ever. I want to find Keith. I want him to have a decent burial.”

Dectectives remain convinced that Brady, a killer who fits a classic psychopathic profile, knows the whereabouts of the third of his five victims. He is at Ashworth Hospital on a long-running hunger strike. Mr Heywood said that this was the final opportunity for him to do the right thing. “One man holds the key. One act of humanity would help Winnie find some peace.”

But he insisted that there would be no more visits to the moors which would put Brady back centre stage in a media circus. If necessary he said he was prepared to show Brady computerised 3D virtual images to help him to retrace his steps on the moors.

He said: “The Moors Murders have cast a long and dark shadow over the history of our region. We had all hoped that we would find the body of that little boy who was taken so cruelly away all those years ago and finally allow his family to lay him to rest.

“Sadly we have not found his body and we reluctantly have to say that for now we have exhausted all of the avenues available to us. These have included the use of the most sophisticated searching equipment currently available and drawing on the support and expertise of some of the world’s leading experts in this area.”

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