PRISON doctors fought a desperate battle to save killer Peter Hall's life after he was found hanged in his cell.

Staff at Wakefield Prison, where the 35-year-old had been held since October 22, 1999, tried to resuscitate him.

But 15 minutes later, Hall, who had strangled, stabbed and bludgeoned Celeste to death before battering her two children, was pronounced dead by a doctor.

This final twist came after Hall was found hanging from the bars of his cell window with a ligature of bedsheets around his neck at 6.30am on December 13, 1999.

At the time of Hall's death, Celeste's husband Ian Bates said he was convinced the murderer had taken his own life because of the hardships he faced in jail.

Mr Bates said: "I think he has done it because of the hard time he has had in prison.

"Celeste was born and raised in that area and I think his fellow inmates have hardly been welcoming. I don't think he would have ever felt remorse."

After murdering the three innocents, Hall boasted to regulars in the King William pub: "You will never forget me. I will be famous tomorrow."

The killer went on the run, before police officers broke into the Blackburn Road house to find the awful murder scene. His three victims were all found lying on beds in separate bedrooms.

Hall was arrested two days later when he crashed Celeste's red Honda into a gas storage compound in Tottington Road, Hawkshaw.

Given three life sentences at Manchester Cown Court, Hall was told by judge Mr Justice Forbes: "You brutally destroyed three innocent lives.

"No words of mine can hope to express adequately the feelings of horror and revulsion which these wicked crimes evoke."