Fred West 2021: The search for Mary Bastholm
We're taking a look back on the moment which turned Gloucester on it's head as the name of one of the UK's most notorious serial killers was once again being muttered on the city's streets
This year as the world was gripped by the biggest health emergency in the modern world, something else was about to happen in Gloucester which no one saw coming.
In May 2021, one of the world's most notorious serial killers once again became the topic of conversation as police investigations looked into another potential victim of Fred West.
Over the next fortnight an investigation took place to find out if the possible humans remains which potentially lay beneath the floor of the Clean Plate Cafe in Gloucester were those of missing teenager Mary Bastholm.
25 Cromwell Street: Where it all began
Fred and Rose West preyed on young and vulnerable girls and would use them to play out their sexual fantasies.
The pair totured, raped and murdered an unknown amount of victims over the period of 20 years between 1967 and 1987.
Some of the victims were buried under the garden patio in their home at 25 Cromwell Street - known as "The House of Horrors".
There were 12 known victims, of which they were both jointly charged with the murder of 10, and Fred with an additional two.
The couple were eventually caught following an investigation by social services into the family in 1992.
The children would often say their "family joke" was that their sister Heather "was buried under the patio".
Gloucestershire Police eventually went onto excavate the garden where the bodies of nine girls and young women were found.
Before Fred stood trial he hanged himself in his remand cell on January 1 1995, leaving his wife Rose to face the courts alone.
Later that year a jury unanimously found Rose West guilty of ten murders and she was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole.
25 Cromwell Street was eventually demolished in 1996 and replaced with a footpath and garden.
The Clean Plate Cafe
The investigation this year centred around the disappearance on 15-year-old Mary Bastholm who went missing from a bus stop in Gloucester in 1968.
Her body was never found but it's reported Fred West admitted to killing her to his son Stephen while on remand in prison.
With her family and the community desperate for answers into her disappearance, this is how the quick-paced investigation unfolded:
7th May 2021: Gloucestershire Police were called to the Clean Plate Cafe on Southgate Street after they received possible evidence to suggest that the body of 15-year-old Mary Bastholm could be buried within the property.
The force say they were called to the site by an ITV production crew filming a documentary at the cafe.
11th May 2021: Police confirmed they were searching the cafe for the body of Mary.
A white tent was erected outside the cafe with police officers stationed outside the building and a police van parked nearby.
Mary Bastholm's family release a statement asking for "privacy" so they can "grieve for Mary".
12th May 2021: Gloucestershire Police released a statement over previous enquiries into the disapperance of Mary Bastholm.
They defended their decision not to investigate Mary's disappearance in 2012 due to "insufficient evidence".
They also provided an update into the investigation saying they would continue forensic assessment to decide whether excavation was necessary.
13th May 2021: Three forensic archaeologists arrived at the Clean Plate Cafe.
They assessed the basement using geophysical survey equipment and found six "anomolies" in the floor.
17th May 2021: Detectives confirm excavations will take place after pictures were taken of a blue material buried beneath an area of the cellar.
This was a significant update as Mary was wearing a blue coat when she went missing.
19th May 2021: Excavations begin at the Clean Plate Cafe.
Over the following days, forensic teams drill into the concrete looking for "cold hard facts".
20th May 2021: Footage and photos are released showing the extent of the excavations
27th May 2021: Detectives confirm no human remains were found at the cafe.
Mary's family released a statement saying they are "sad she's not been found".
Gloucestershire Police said they are "disappointed" with the outcome of the investigation.
Living with Fred and Rose West
During the course of the police investigation, Greatest Hits Radio spoke exclusively to a former lodger of Fred and Rose West.
Jayne Hamer lived with the couple for a year when she was 16-year-old.
She revealed that she "could have been their next victim" after being taken down to the cellar where Fred would abuse his victims.
She would often baby sit their children Heather, Stephen and Mae but had no idea that where she was living was the epicentre of the couple's heinous crimes.
Watch the full documentary with Jayne:
Jayne eventually left after hearing Fred sexually abuse heather during the night.
"I kind of doubted myself, but having heard it several nights in a row - the words "stop it, daddy, stop it" will haunt me for the rest of my life", Jayne explains.
Jayne spoke about having to give evidence during Rose's trial.
She told us, "On the stand I just looked her Rose straight in the face because I had nothing to hide and I'd done nothing wrong."
Over the next decade Jayne began rebuilding her life with her family in a bid to leave behind the shadow of Fred and Rose West which was hanging over her life for many years.
She now lives in the South West and does a lot of voluntary work for the Stroke Association, after her son suffered a stroke when he was younger, among hobbies including RC racing.