GREATER MANCHESTER Police (GMP) Force have restarted the search for the body of one of the Moors murderers' victims after potential human remains were found on the moorland.
Keith Bennett, 12, was one of five children tortured and killed by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley in the 1960s, but his body has never been recovered.
Review Officer Martin Bottomley said:
“At around 11.25am on Thursday 29 September 2022, Greater Manchester Police was contacted by the representative of an author who has been researching the murder of Keith Bennett, a victim of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley.
"Following direct contact with the author, we were informed that he had discovered what he believes are potential human remains in a remote location on the Moors and he agreed to meet with officers yesterday afternoon to elaborate on his find and direct us to a site of interest.
“The site was assessed late last night and, this morning, specialist officers have begun initial exploration activity. We are in the very early stages of assessing the information which has been brought to our attention but have made the decision to act on it in line with a normal response to a report of this kind.
“It is far too early to be certain whether human remains have been discovered and this is expected to take some time."
Bottomley assured the public that the police would always "act on any significant information which may lead to the recovery of Keith and reunite him with his family."
As a result, his brother, now aged 66, has been informed of the potential development.
"He does not wish to be contacted at this time and asks that his privacy is respected," Bottomley finished.
Keith disappeared on 16 June 1964 while on his way to his grandmother's house, who lived close to his home in Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester.
His mother Winnie Johnson, who passed away in 2012, spent her life trying to locate her son.
Police searched Saddleworth Moor in 1986 following reports Hindley and Brady had confessed to his murder.
Brady, who was born in Glasgow but later moved to Manchester, was jailed in 1966 for the murders of John Kilbride, aged 12, Lesley Ann Downey, 10, and Edward Evans, 17.
In 1985, he also admitted to murdering Keith and 16-year-old Pauline Reade.
The children had been abducted by Brady and his lover Hindley, who died in prison in 2002, between 1963 and 1965.
