THE sister of a 16-year-old boy murdered more than 20 years ago by a serial killer from Guiseley has sent a message of thanks to the mystery person who lays flowers at his grave.

Maureen Hudson, whose brother, Stephen Wilson, was killed on January 3, 1976, by former public schoolboy Mark Rowntree, of Guiseley, believes the flowers could be placed at the grave by a schoolboy pal.

Mrs Hudson, 47, travels from her East Coast home to lay a wreath on his grave every Christmas and on the anniversary of his death.

"Sometimes someone places flowers on the grave," she said. "I suspect its one of Stephen's friends from all those years ago. I would like to thank them very much.".

She has kept the wreath-laying vigil every Christmas and New Year since Stephen was stabbed to death as he waited for a bus at Eastburn near Keighley.

He was one of four victims killed by 19-year-old Rowntree in an eight-day orgy of violence at Christmas 1975 and into the New Year.

Stephen's family do not want to disclose the location of his grave for fear Rowntree may visit it. The killer is allowed to make day trips from the secure unit where he is being held at St Luke's Hospital in Middlesbrough.

His other victims were 85-year-old Grace Adamson, of Bingley, and Barbara Booth, 24, and her three-year-old son Alan, slaughtered in their Leeds flat.

Rowntree, who recently changed his name to Paul Page, has spent 22 years in a psychiatric hospital unit since committing the crimes in a sick quest to become known as one of the world's worst killers.

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