ONLY DARKNESS

Harold Lovell, 55, father of the deceased.

...shortly after eight. It was just a short walk to the station. I used to walk with her, but I'd just come out of hospital and she wouldn't hear of it. She was wearing those daft shoes, the ones with the heels. She always wanted to be taller, so she always wore these shoes. She phoned Stuart to let him know which train she was catching, and then she left. I watched her down the road from the window. She waved to someone, but I couldn't see who it was. I didn't see anyone else. The street was empty. I wish...

Margaret Greene, 42, neighbour

...often come and visit her parents. I've know her for ten years, ever since I moved here. She was still at school then, of course. I saw her come out of the house at about half past eight. I can't be sure of the exact time. She stood on the road and called something back - to her dad, I thought. No, I didn't see him, but she was looking back towards the house. She was wearing a grey coat. I've seen her wear it before. I don't know if she was carrying anything. She must have had a bag. She turned down the road, in the direction of the station. She saw me at the window, and she waved. She was walking fast. I didn't see anyone else, but I wasn't really looking.

Jodie Robinson, 31, teacher

I travelled to Mexborough from Sheffield. The train got into Mexborough Station at eight thirty-seven. I remember the time exactly because it was running late, and I checked my watch as we arrived. When I came out of the station, a woman was going in. She was about my height, with dark hair. She was wearing a dark coloured coat - I think it was blue - and high-heeled shoes. I can remember the tapping sound she made. She was walking fast, as though she didn't want to be late for her train.

David Wright, 36, engineer

...on the early shift that morning. We were working on the line outside Mexborough station, on the way to Denaby. I was walking up the line, keeping an eye on the signal. She was in the bushes. I saw the glass first. There was broken glass on the ground. It caught the light, that's why I saw it, and I thought it was odd because I didn't know where it had come from. Then I saw there was someone lying there. It was a woman, and she was lying on her back half under the bushes. I think I knew she was dead as soon as I saw her. I don't know how I knew. She was so still. Her coat was sort of wrapped round her, I think, and there were stains on it, blood stains, I think, and there was a lot. I pushed the leaves back to look at her face, and I wish I hadn't. Her face was a mess. Her eyes were just... as though someone had... I don't want to think about it.

See sketch map, attached

Stuart Griffin, 28, husband of deceased

...phoned about twenty past eight. Her train got in just after nine, so she was expecting to be back about half past. We didn't talk for long, because I was putting Karen to bed...

I took the car out at half ten. I drove round to see if I could see her. I wondered if she'd decided to walk from the station, but she never did that. I called her mum and dad around ten-thirty - I was getting really worried. I called the police at half past eleven. I knew there was something wrong...

...never said anything about anyone following her, anything like that. But Karen had been having nightmares. She kept talking about "the ugly man" and waking up in the night. She drew a picture...