Nicola's parents appeal for help

The parents of Nicola Dixon, the teenager battered to death on New Year's Eve, made an emotional appeal yesterday for help in catching her killer.

Andrew and Rita Dixon also spoke of their love for their daughter, describing how she had great plans for the future. Nicola, 17, was attacked in an alley by Holy Trinity Church, in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, as she took a short cut to meet friends in a town-centre pub. She was sexually assaulted, robbed and bludgeoned to death. Her body was found the next day by the wife of the rector of Holy Trinity Church.

Mr Dixon, 46, a civil engineer, told a news conference that Nicola deserved justice, adding: "A large reward has been amassed to help catch the person who took our precious daughter's life ... We hope it will help to catch the murderer quickly."

The police revealed the killer may have been spotted leaving the murder scene in a blue Ford Fiesta car.