Murdered woman's family make appeal 30 years on

The family of a woman whose murder remains unsolved 30 years after she was killed has urged anyone with information to come forward.

Vera Holland, 47, was last seen alive on 14 November 1996 after she left her home in St Barnabas Road in Reading, Berkshire, to buy a takeaway from KFC in Shinfield Road.

She failed to return home and was reported missing. Her body was found two days later on a fly-tip close to the Thames Water pumping station on the A327 between Arborfield and Shinfield, about three miles (4.8km) away. She had been strangled.

Speaking on behalf of Holland's family, her daughter Dawn Bennett said her family "feels the loss and heartbreak of losing her every day".

She said the mother-of-three was "devoted" to her family and a "very proud grandmother of seven".

Bennett continued: "She was robbed of the chance to watch her grandchildren grow, and those born after her death never got to experience her boundless love and affection.

"Someone out there knows exactly what happened to our mum. I implore you to come forward and contact the police with any piece of information, no matter how small.

"Thirty years is an agonisingly long time to wait for justice, especially while the person responsible has been allowed to carry on living their life freely and we feel the loss and heartbreak of losing her every day."

Thames Valley Police (TVP) investigators believe Holland never reached the KFC because she was not captured on its CCTV.

She was wearing a pink coat, green tartan shirt, black jumper and black shoes. None of the items have ever been recovered.

"Someone, somewhere, knows what happened to Vera," said Peter Beirne, from TVP's Major Crime Review Team.

"There may be someone who thought a piece of information was insignificant at the time, someone who was frightened to come forward, or someone whose loyalties have changed over the years," he added.

He said: "Relationships change, friendships end and circumstances change. You may have felt it was impossible to share information in 1996.

"You may have been unsure whether what you knew was important, believed someone else had already spoken to police, or felt unable to come forward at the time, but you can now come forward.

"The time has come to tell us what you know."

Anyone with information can call the force on 101, quoting reference number 0529 (6/11), or email the force at majorcrimereviewteam@thamesvalley.police.uk.

TVP's neighbourhood team in the area will be handing out leaflets and posters over coming days to appeal for information.