DETECTIVES investigating the murder of schoolgirl Lesley Molseed 27 years ago said today they had received a "huge and encouraging" response from the public following a television appeal.

The 11-year-old, from Rochdale, was stabbed 12 times and sexually assaulted in October 1975. Her body was discovered on open moorland in Ripponden, West Yorkshire.

Yesterday, detectives revealed on Crimewatch UK that they are using a DNA profile they believe was left at the scene of the Crime by the schoolgirl's killer.