Police renew appeal over arson death of woman, 81

Lea Brooke, a grandmother and mother-of-five, died after white spirit was poured through the letterbox of her Sandal Grange Farm home in Wakefield and set alight in the early hours of Monday, November 10, 2008.

The pensioner was found dead in her nightclothes in a bathroom, her body partly covered by fallen debris caused by the fierce blaze which took firefighters more than two hours to bring under control.

A police investigation into the fire continues and yesterday, almost two years after her death, Det Supt Dave Pervin renewed his appeal for information.

Newly released closed circuit TV images show Mrs Brooke just hours before her death leaving St Peter and St Paul's Church, St George's Walk, Sandal, after the Sunday service at around 10.10am on Sunday, November 9.

Further images show her just minutes later in the nearby Asda store buying biscuits for a coffee morning the following day.

In the early hours of the following day the emergency services received a 999 call from a neighbour alerting them to the fire.

Det Supt Pervin said: "She was a lovely lady who was very well respected in the local community – why would anyone want to do something like this to her?

"I hope that by releasing this material, it will prick someone's conscience and prompt them to contact police with the vital piece of information we need to catch the person responsible.

"It is very rare for the perpetrator of a crime like this not to share the information with someone else. Two years is a long time – someone must have information about the person responsible or may harbour suspicions. This is a terrible burden to carry and I would urge that person to come forward and let us have that information no matter how insignificant."

Despite a two-year investigation police have not established why anyone would want to harm Mrs Brooke.