THE mother of murdered prostitute Danielle Moorcroft appears on BBC TV's Crimewatch on Thursday night to make an emotional plea for help in catching her killer.

She says the murder has left her family devastated.

Danielle's battered and partially clothed body was found behind bushes at the back of Bolton Community College, off Lower Bridgeman Street, on June 1, 2002.

The heroin addict, who was five months pregnant at the time, had suffered serious head injuries.

Her mother, Mary Lodge, said: "It has been over two years since Danielle was found murdered and it has left a family completed devastated.

"We want a conviction so we can put this behind us and move forward.

"It is very difficult knowing the person responsible is walking the streets. I want to be able to face him in court and see the person who has done this to my daughter.

"The day I went to view Danielle and I saw the horrific injuries she had suffered, I couldn't believe someone was capable of committing such an atrocity. It was horrendous for me as a mother to see her like that."

Mrs Lodge says she has many fond memories of Danielle growing up.

"She was very lively, had a lot of energy and was very vibrant. As a child, she was very happy, quite sporty, very lovely. When she was a teenager, she had her moments but she was like any other, she liked music and fashion. She loved to be centre of attention and her death has left a large gap in our lives.

"It is difficult to come to terms with the way she died. I have no idea why anyone would want to kill her and leave her lying in the street. I see mothers and daughters doing things together and I think, Danielle and I should be doing that. I have a lot of wonderful memories of Danielle but I should have even more. She had her whole life to look forward to. We had a close relationship and she used to come and see us a lot. I hadn't seen her much just before she died."

Mrs Lodge says her three other children, Janine, aged 16, Stephen, aged 17 and five-year-old Bethany, also miss her terribly.

"I found it very difficult doing Crimewatch because it brought it all back but I just hope it will make someone come forward with information.

"Please help the police and help us get justice for Danielle. No matter how small or insignificant you think the information may be, come forward."

Detectives in Bolton hope the Crimewatch appeal will lead to new lines of inquiry.

The murderer left behind an asthma inhaler at the scene and so far, police have taken DNA samples from more than 1,200 users of the Salbutamol 100mg CF inhaler in Bolton.

He is also thought to have been wearing a hooded top and carrying a rucksack-type bag was seen running away from the scene. Crimewatch is on BBC1 at 9pm.

Call the incident room at Castle Street on 0161 856 5961 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.