Police chief turned journalist John Stalker is the latest in a long line of investigators who have tried to crack the mystery which surrounds the brutal murder of Shropshire peace campaigner Hilda Murrell.

Almost ten years after the 78-year-old spinster was kidnapped from her Shrewsbury home, violently assaulted, stabbed and dumped in a small copse on the outskirts of the town, media interest in the case is as strong as ever.

The arrival of Mr Stalker in Shrewsbury on Thursday to start work on a Central TV documentary has once again turned the spotlight on Shropshire's most infamous unsolved murder.

And with more than 30 years' police experience, and five years as a journalist, he might just be the man who uncovers the vital lead.

A detective for most of his time with the police, Mr Stalker had a fascinating and successful career, rising to become Deputy Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police - Britain's largest provincial force with 10,000 staff covering an area with a population of three million.

He also spent three years as a Detective Chief Superintendent with the Warwickshire police force, living in Evesham during his time with them.

Since leaving the police five years ago he has pursued two separate careers - one as a consultant to various businesses and the other as a TV, radio and print journalist.

His television career has included a regular spot as the frontman of Crime Stalker, Central's answer to the BBC's Crimewatch.

Another series of Crime Stalker starts in January, with extended one-hour monthly programmes co-presented by Sue Carpenter.

And while admitting he misses the professionalism and camaraderie of the police force, 54-year-old Mr Stalker is relishing his new career.

A fully paid-up member of the National Union of Journalists, he hopes to bring "the objectivity of a journalist and the experience of a copper," to his research into the killing of Miss Murrell.

Numerous books, documentaries and even a play about her death have put forward numerous theories about the identity of her murderers.

Suggestions range from bungling burglars to killers hired by nuclear power chiefs, fearful of the evidence she was due to give at the Sizewell B public inquiry.

Another theory has her killed by secret service hitmen, because of inside knowledge she had about the sinking of the Argentine warship General Belgrano during the Falklands war.

But for his Stalker Investigatesspecial on Hilda Murrell, Mr Stalker says he will start with "an open mind and a blank piece of paper."

And he makes it clear that any new leads turned up will be passed straight on to the Shrewsbury incident room headed by Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Herbert.

Assisted by another former detective, Mr Stalker will be based in Shrewsbury as he carries on with his research.

It means he may not be able to spend as much time as he would like with his wife Stella, on their smallholding in Cheshire which is also home to 80 pigs and 30 sheep.

But if the first ever Stalker Investigates proves to be a success, it may prompt Central bosses to give the go-ahead for a whole series of investigations into high profile crimes - in Britain and abroad.

And if John Stalker does turn out to be the man who finally answers the question "who killed Hilda Murrell?" his name will go down in the history of crime detection - as well as the annals ofbroadcasting.

The Stalker Investigates documentary on themurder of Hilda Murrell is due to be broadcast sometime in mid-1994.