Family plea for help in finding Joanna's killer

As detectives investigated a number of new leads after retracing her final journey home on Friday, a heartfelt plea was made yesterday in hope of a breakthrough.

Members of the public were urged to come forward, as her family stressed that a "single piece" of information could lead police to her murderer.

Thousands of football fans attending Bristol City's FA Cup match against Sheffield Wednesday were also targeted. Her family said they were optimistic a 60,000 reward for catching her killer would "concentrate people's minds" about where they were on the evening of 17 December, when Joanna was last seen. The body of the 25-year-old, from Clifton, Bristol, was found on Christmas morning by a couple walking their dogs, just three miles from her home.

It has since emerged one of her socks was missing when the body was found in Longwood Lane, Failand, North Somerset. Though she was not wearing her coat or boots, those items were recovered from her flat.

The family statement, issued through Avon and Somerset Police, said: "We would like to reiterate the request for any information which could relate to Jo's death, however small or insignificant it might appear.

"That single piece could just enable the police to understand what happened, and identify the killer.

"We are optimistic the increased reward will concentrate people's minds on where they were on that Friday night, and what they saw."

Police officers questioned more than 200 people in various locations across Bristol on Friday, including customers in the pub where Ms Yeates had gone for a Christmas drink and people in the streets close to her home. Cars were also stopped near where her body was found.

Detective chief inspector Phil Jones, leading the murder hunt, said: "I would like to stress that every piece of information we receive is taken seriously and we will continue to work tirelessly to find justice for Jo."