THE son of Mary Povah says his family is 'devastated' after the case against a young woman accused of killing his mother was dramatically dropped.

David Povah, speaking just hours after the hearing at Leigh Magistrates' Court, exclusively told The Journal: "We are all devastated about it.

"The police told us they were convinced they were going to get a successful conviction after the arrest and right from day one.

"We now hope they can get that evidence."

Kelly Jane Sixsmith, aged 22, had been charged with the unlawful killing of 83 year old Mary. The case against her was discharged because of lack of evidence.

But one of the men leading the inquiry into Mrs Povah's death, Det Ch Insp Ian Hilton, pledged: "No murder case is ever closed until someone is convicted.

"We will constantly be reviewing the evidence.

"If someone comes forward with the missing link to enable us to take someone for Crown Court trial, we will use it."

Standing handcuffed behind a glass covered witness box at he Chapel Street court, Miss Sixsmith smiled and said a brief "Thank-you" as she was discharged.

Miss Sixsmith, formerly of the Higher Fold Estate and now held in Risley Prison, denied the allegations since the beginning.

Crown Prosecution Service lawyer Lindsey Thomas told the court that it was felt that the evidence against her was insufficient.

She said: "No doubt in this particular case a conviction would be unsafe and would be very unlikely to be secured."

Sixsmith was picked out at an identity parade but since then great doubt had been placed on the witness's evidence, the court heard. Mrs Povah's death in October shocked the Leigh community. She died in hospital months after she was the victim of a mugging in March last year.

Mrs Povah was a well known figure in Leigh where she ran a butchers shop for many years in Lord Street.

The police, in a statement after the hearing, 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 of 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."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.