ABOLTON girl who was swept off her feet by the charms of a tall, handsome shop assistant has spoken from her Australia home of her horror at reading that her former fiance had turned into a killer.

Mildred Earles was a teenage dental worker 36 years ago when she fell head over heels in love with Brian Blakemore, a young assistant at McCartney's gents outfitters, near to Bolton Market Hall.

After a courtship of 18 months they became engaged to be married, to the delight of both their families. But when the ambitious Blakemore dumped Mildred to join the Merchant Navy and, shortly after, she emigrated to Australia, they heard nothing more of one another for more than 30 years.

Then, through reading the Bolton Evening News on the Internet, Mildred learned that Blakemore, now 51, had been jailed for 12 years for killing and burying 19-year-old Julian Brookfield in the shadow of Ewood Park, Blackburn Rovers' football ground.

A sordid tale unfolded at Preston Crown Court in April of how Blakemore had descended into taking and selling erotic photographs in the mid-1980s after becoming partially disabled following an horrific road accident.

Julian Brookfield, who worked in a Blackburn sex shop and lived in a terraced house owned by Blakemore outside Ewood Park, disappeared in August, 1984. His body was discovered by workman digging a trench on the site of the demolished terrace during construction of the new Jack Walker Stand.

Blakemore, a father of three living in Accrington, was found guilty of Brookfield's manslaughter and of perverting the course of justice by concealing his body.

The court was told that Blakemore was angry after trying unsuccessfully to sell pornographic photographs to Brookfield.

"I couldn't believe what I was reading," said Mildred, now herself a mother of three who lives in Mount Martha, Victoria. "There was never a hint of Brian having any interest in this kind of material when I knew him.

"He was a handsome man, a real head-turner, tall and muscular. Charming. And he was very ambitious. He wanted to own his own outfitter's shop.

"We were young and very happy together. We would go to the pictures and play tennis; it was a normal courtship. My mother was pleased when we got engaged and so was his family."

The relationship ended, however, when the dashing Blakemore turned his attention to a career in the Merchant Navy and joined the New Zealand Shipping Company in 1964.

"He was the one who broke it off," remembers Mildred. "He dumped me. Then, after coming back from New Zealand, he rang me and said 'Hello, it's Brian.' I said 'Brian who?' and we laughed. But I didn't see him again. I had another boyfriend by then.

"Shortly afterwards, I emigrated to Australia and I never heard from him again. It is very sad that his life seemed to take a turn for the worst and I feel sorry for him.

"He once bought me a butter dish and I still have it.

"I thought of writing to him if I could find where he was, but his family might not like it so I won't. It's all in the past."

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