Police today said they are to re-examine clothes allegedly worn by the Yorkshire Ripper as he carried out his horrific crimes.

West Yorkshire Police will look for clues on the clothes, which were believed to have been worn by Peter Sutcliffe - who lived in Heaton - when he committed the murders of 13 women and tried to kill seven more.

The clothes were allegedly among evidence meant for destruction at the end of the massive police investigation into his trail of horror.

Today's development comes after an MP claimed the Ripper was "bad, not mad" and should be moved from a secure hospital to a prison.

Fabian Hamilton, MP for Leeds North East, has written to Home Secretary David Blunkett asking him to re-examine Sutcliffe's imprisonment at Broadmoor high-security hospital.

Sutcliffe was given 20 sentences in 1981 after being convicted of the murders of the 13 women.

The judge rejected doctors' claims that he was schizophrenic after Sutcliffe claimed he was ordered by "voices from God" to kill, but Mr Hamilton said a new book proves this was a lie.

Wicked Beyond Belief, by Michael Bilton, also claimed Sutcliffe wore a specific piece of clothing for every murder, suggesting they were pre-meditated.

The clothes, a pair of green leggings believed to be made from an old shirt, were kept by former Detective Constable Alan Foster and handed over to West Yorkshire Police two years ago.

Mr Foster, who worked on the Ripper case, said they were among many of Sutcliffe's belongings he was ordered to burn. He said he kept the leggings, which were tied around the waist and open at the crotch.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: "We have been handed an item of clothing, allegedly part of the exhibits sent for destruction at the end of the Ripper inquiry.

"We are exploring what, if any, forensic value it may have. The way in which the clothing has been stored will clearly have a significant impact in determining this."

The spokesman could not confirm what item of clothing it was.

Mr Hamilton said: "If there is a piece of clothing he has worn every time, then it shows he is bad and wicked rather than mad. Sutcliffe's plea that he was mad was rejected in court and he was convicted of the wilful murders of these women."

Mr Hamilton said Broadmoor was more comfortable than prison and Sutcliffe had convinced doctors he was mad. He said it was in the public interest that the Ripper was sent to prison.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: "There are regular assessments and reappraisals and any new information that arises relating to a patient's mental disorder would be considered by psychiatrists and they would make a recommendation to the Home Secretary."