Mother in appeal over 1979 murder

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The elderly mother of a woman murdered 30 years ago has issued a plea for help in solving the cold case.

Lynda Farrow, a 29-year-old mother of two, was stabbed to death in her home in Woodford, east London, on 19 January 1979 and found by her young daughters.

Metropolitan Police have announced a £20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of her killer or killers.

Ms Farrow's 83-year-old mother said she wants the case solved before she dies.

Ms Farrow was found in her home by her daughters, aged eight and 11, who arrived home early from school due to a snow storm.

'Haunted me'

Det Ch Insp Rebecca Hamilton labelled the murder of the former casino croupier "a brutal attack".

"She was viciously attacked in her own home and received severe bruising to her body before having her throat cut," she said.

I'm not getting any younger and it is my greatest wish that I find out what happened to my daughter before I pass away Gladys Hayes, Lynda Farrow's mother

DCI Hamilton said the victim's mother and two daughters were still devastated by the killing and eager for answers.

Ms Farrow, who was four months pregnant when she was killed, had visited her mother in Hackney, east London, earlier on the day of her death.

The motive for the murder remains unclear. There was no sign of forced entry and it was thought Ms Farrow's attacker probably followed her or forced his way into the house as she arrived home.

Her mother, Gladys Hayes, appealed for anyone with knowledge of the crime to come forward.

"I wasn't there to help her when she needed me and that awful thought has haunted me since the day it happened.

"I'm not getting any younger and it is my greatest wish that I find out what happened to my daughter before I pass away."

Police have been unable to trace a white car seen departing Ms Farrow's Whitehall Road home at about 1430 GMT on the day she died.

The car is believed to a Ford, possibly a Mark IV Cortina.

While no clear motive emerged during the initial investigation, detectives carefully examined the movements of her former husband.

The couple had recently undergone an acrimonious split and Ms Farrow was with a new boyfriend. Her former husband has since died.

The case will be featured on BBC's Crimewatch on 27 January.