THE hunt for the killer of a Leigh pensioner will continue, police said today. As reported in yesterday's BEN, Kelly Jane Sixsmith, 22, had been charged with the unlawful killing of Mary Povah.

But the charge was dramatically dropped at Leigh magistrates' court.

Sixsmith, formerly of the Higher Fold Estate and now held in Risley Prison, had been accused of killing the frail Leigh pensioner, who died in hospital in October just months after being the victim of a mugging.

The case was dropped because of lack of evidence. Sixsmith had denied the allegations. Today a spokesman for Leigh Police said: "The death of Mary Povah was a very sad affair, both for her family and the people of Leigh.

"An extensive police inquiry commenced and this resulted in the suspect being charged.

"Given the passage of time between the incident and Mary Povah's death, reliable evidence was always going to be difficult to attain.

"Unfortunately the evidence gained to date has not been sufficient for a successful prosecution to take place."

Mrs Povah's son, David, said he was "disgusted" that the case had been dropped.

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