JANET Murgatroyd's father said he was satisfied with the verdict of manslaughter and praised Lancashire police and the Crown Prosecution Service for their dedication to the case.

He said: "You never get what you expect. Court is not like a Hollywood movie,there are no actors. It's all real life with real emotions. It's not an experience I would wish on anybody.

"The jury sat for 16 hours. There's nothing you can do or nowhere to go. You just have to wait.

"It's a relief coupled with satisfaction that someone has been found guilty for the crime. There's not a shadow of a doubt in my mind that he did it.

"Many of the female jurors were in tears."

And he said that there's not a day goes by when he doesn't think about her. "I visit the cemetery in Hill Road, Penwortham, every week," he said. "I place a memorial to her on her birthday on September 8 and on the anniversary of her death.

"Now it's time to try and get on with our lives, but I never forget her, she is always there.

"She was a very vibrant and extrovert girl and not afraid of saying her piece."

He added: "Janet can finally rest in peace now someone has been found guilty."