In the week Rebecca Hall should have celebrated her 21st birthday, detectives remained hopeful of a breakthrough which would lead them to her killer.

The Bradford mum-of-one, who worked as a prostitute, was just 19 years old when her naked and battered body was dumped in an alleyway within the city's red light district.

Slightly-built Rebecca - widely known as Becky - would more than likely have celebrated Tuesday's big day with her family, friends and young son Jordan. Instead the one-year-old, now being raised by his grandma, will grow up never knowing his mum.

This point is well recognised by the officer leading the murder hunt, Detective Chief Superintendent Max McLean.

"I am very conscious Rebecca has a son growing up in Bradford who would want to know what happened to his mother," he said.

Twenty months after Rebecca's brutal death, police are trying to build upon forensic clues recovered from the scene. Det Chief Supt McLean said officers had managed to generate low levels of DNA using matter lifted from her body. It is hoped this will eventually help build a full DNA profile of whoever carried out the appalling attack in which Rebecca's head was beaten and her face stamped on.

Experts are also examining rips in Rebecca's clothing found at the scene in case they contain tiny traces of her killer's skin.

"I'm very hopeful we will get a forensic breakthrough in this case," said Det Chief Supt McLean.

Earlier this month, an inquest heard how Rebecca was probably killed on April 13, 2001, before her body was dumped in a secluded alleyway by Thornton Street.