THE heartbroken mother of Phyllis Porter was informed on Monday that police were intending to exhume her daughter's body.

And on Tuesday Ann Porter said at her home in Kitt Green Road, Wigan: "It is going to be a difficult day for all of us, but there is a chance they may find something new. I have spoken to my husband about it and we are both upset about Phyllis being disturbed, but we thought that this might be part of the investigation. If it helps find out exactly what happened, then it has to be done. Phyllis was a beautiful girl, she was very, very outgoing and very bubbly. Everyone who knew her liked her. She loved her sport, especially running and swimming."

Phyllis has two brothers, now aged 15 and 16. Mrs Porter discovered the body of her daughter shortly after 8am on November 20, 1996.

At first she thought that her daughter was in a deep sleep but, when she could not rouse her, she realised something was wrong. She picked up her daughter's body and ran screaming into the street. Mrs Porter told the Bolton Evening News earlier this year: "I miss her terribly. She was our first child."

Talking about her husband Mrs Porter said: "Geoffrey doted on her -- he didn't spoil her any more than he did the boys but she was daddy's little girl."

Phyllis suffered from learning difficulties and used to board during the week at Highfield Special School in Leigh. Her brother Warren still attends the same school.

Brother Carl is currently taking his GCSE's at Wigan's Kingsdown High School.