Crossbow Cannibal police find remains of second Bradford prostitute (with video)

Forensic tests have shown material discovered in the river at the weekend belongs to Shelley Armitage, who disappeared from Bradford city centre in April.

The discovery is a major breakthrough in West Yorkshire Police's investigation into the murders of Miss Armitage, 31, Suzanne Blamires, 36, and Susan Rushworth, 43, who all worked as prostitutes in Bradford's red-light district.

Stephen Griffiths, 40, who gave his name as "The Crossbow Cannibal" when he appeared in court last week, is charged with murdering the three women.

Police have already found Ms Blamires' remains in the River Aire, and underwater divers will continue searching the area for more of Miss Armitage's remains and the body of Ms Rushworth.

Forensic tests are also being carried out on a holdall containing a hacksaw and several knives, which was pulled out of the river at the weekend.

A police spokesman said: "Further exhaustive forensic tests carried out on a small piece of human tissue recovered from the River Aire over the weekend, have confirmed that it is that of Shelley Armitage.

"Shelley's family have been informed. Searches are continuing, as are ongoing forensic tests. This includes ongoing forensic work on the black holdall and contents recovered at the weekend."

A senior police source involved in the investigation told the Yorkshire Post that Griffiths' flat in Holmfield Court, Thornton Road, Bradford, would be "dismantled'' as the search for any evidence connected with the three dead women continues.

Griffiths' mother Moira has described the crimes he is charged with as "horrible" and "shocking" Speaking near her home in Dewsbury yesterday, a visibly shaken Mrs Griffiths said: "It makes me feel horrible just thinking about it.

"It's the kind of thing you never think will happen to you and then it does. I think I'm still in shock.''

Mrs Griffiths, 61, added that her son had lost touch with his family and she had not heard from him "in a very long time".

She has been keeping a low profile in recent days and has been using her neighbour's door to enter and leave her flat.

A neighbour, who would not be named, said: "She has been very taken aback by the media attention. I feel sorry for her in a way because all she did was give birth to him.''

Meanwhile, a sick hijacker has plagued a Facebook site set up in memory of three murdered prostitutes with abusive comments and a link to a group called "The Crossbow Cannibal rules!!".

The main protagonist, who calls himself Ronald Chevalier, has left the comments and the link in the last few days.

Police also condemned the makers of a gruesome animated, two-minute film made by a Taiwan-based company, purporting to show the brutal killing of Ms Blamires, and demanded its removal from the internet site YouTube.

The graphic computer game-style images on the international video sharing website have shocked friends and relatives of the three victims.

Yesterday, it had been viewed nearly 2,000 times.

A spokesman for the website said: "We have clear policies that prohibit inappropriate content on the site. Our community understands the rules and polices the site for inappropriate material.

"When users feel content is inappropriate they can flag it and our staff then review it as quickly as possible to see if it violates our terms of use. If users repeatedly break these rules we disable their accounts."