AS Steven Penn began his life sentence today the man who led the murder hunt declared: "justice has been done."

Det Supt John Waterworth, led the team of detectives and forensic experts, who investigated the killing of tragic mum Angela Heyes.

Minutes after 37-year-old Penn was caged for life the Bolton CID chief said: "I'm satisfied with the verdict, not only for the police, but especially for the family and friends of Angela Heyes.

"It has been a very trying 10 months for all those involved."

The murder investigation broke new ground for Greater Manchester Police. It is the first murder case GMP has ever investigated where a body has actually been discovered in an area covered by another force - in this case Lancashire. Detectives from Bolton were actually called in to lead the investigation the day after Angela's body was found by a cyclist who had stopped to "answer the call of nature."

Det Supt Waterworth said: "Within a short time of the discovery of Angela's body it quickly became apparent she had been murdered elsewhere and some time later her body had been taken to the moorland on the outskirts of Bolton.

"Angela lived in Bolton and it became evident very quickly that her life and lifestyle revolved around the town."

Officers from the Lancashire force helped in a detailed search of the moorland where the body was found and detectives from Lancashire CID joined the GMP police team hunting the killer from their base at Bolton's Castle Street Police Station.

Det Supt Waterworth praised the work of the forensic experts and pathologist Dr William Lawler.

"The forensic scientists working together with the police officers had a very significant impact on the case. It was a good example of the various forensic resources that are available and the all round co-operation was obvious."

The police chief also praised the Bolton public who responded to repeated police appeals for information.

"We know that a few people were inconvenienced by the investigation," he said. "But an inquiry of this sort cannot be conducted properly without the help of the public. I would like to thank the people of Bolton for the assistance they gave."

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