House of death police find 12th body

POLICE working on the house of death investigation in Gloucestershire have discovered a 12th body, it was disclosed yesterday.

Remains were unearthed in Finger Post Field at Kempley shortly after 6.15pm on Tuesday, Detective Superintendent John Bennett said.

It is understood to be the body of Anna McFall, 22, who had worked as a nanny for Frederick and Rosemary West when they lived briefly in Lanarkshire. She was last seen about 24 years ago. At a news conference yesterday, Det Supt Bennett said the remains had been examined by Professor Bernard Knight, a Home Office pathologist, who had confirmed that they were human.

Work at Finger Post Field has been suspended and officers are moving to another site near by to begin a fifth dig as a result of information received from local residents.

The find came feet from the point at which the Finger Post Field dig began on 13 April. The police diggers have created a pit 100ft long, more than 60ft wide and up to 8ft deep. More than 2,800 tons of earth has been dug out by the team of officers during the excavation.

Mr West, 52, a builder, is charged with the murders of all 11 women whose remains have been found at his home in Cromwell Street, Gloucester, his former house in Midland Road, Gloucester, and at Letterbox Field, Kempley. His wife Rosemary, 40, is jointly accused with him of the murders of nine young women found buried at Cromwell Street. They included the couple's daughter, Heather, 16, who disappeared in 1987.

The charges against Mr West include the murders of his seven-year-old daughter Charmaine, whose body was found buried at Midland Road, and his first wife, Catherine, who was buried in Letterbox Field.