THE SON of a man brutally murdered 27 years ago in Bury is hopeful that a TV programme could lead to the capture of the killer.

Paul Hewitt was only seven-years-old when his father Tom Hewitt was killed while working at his garage workshop in Bright Street, Bury.

The 30-year-old was smashed across the head with an iron bar on September 7, 1974, suffering serious head injuries. He battled for his life in Salford Royal Infirmary, but died 24-hours later.

Despite a massive police investigation at the time, which spread to New Zealand and involved Interpol, the murderer was never brought to justice.

But detectives will now make a final plea for help on Granada TV's Case Unsolved, which will be screened close to the anniversary of Tom's murder.

His son Paul, who also has a sister Angela aged 36, and a 29-year-old brother David, clearly recalls their father's death.

He said: "It was a nightmare situation.

"I didn't attend the funeral, but I remember my mum taking me to the cemetery a few days later. "We've never discussed it much as a family and I have no theory of my own as to who did it or why. I just hope something comes from this programme.

"I was pleased when I found out they were going to do something because it might finally clear things up for everyone."

Paul's mother Sylvia, who moved to Nottingham with her children in 1979 where they still live today, had changed her surname to Hewitt by deed poll and had been due to marry only weeks after the murder.

She lived with Tom, who had been married previously, in a semi-detached house in Rosedale Avenue, Sharples, Bolton, for four years.

Sylvia has since been married and divorced and now works as the manageress of a nursing home.

Paul, aged 34, who is married to Becky and works as a railway welder, was in Bolton this week to visit his father's grave at Astley Bridge cemetery.

His wife Becky said: "I don't think Paul has ever had anyone to share it all with really and if something positive came out of this programme it would help him move on.

"When I first met him he told me early on that his father had been murdered and I could sympathise with him to some extent because my own father had died, but that was from an illness whereas this is something altogether different."

Granada researcher Steve Roberts said: "The case was chosen for us by officers at Bury CID.

"I spoke to Jim Paterson, who was a detective sergeant at the time of the investigation and he was very helpful. He is retired now but told us that the case was almost cracked ten years ago, but then the leads went cold again.

"The police at the time of Tom's death suggested he was a 'ladies' man', but that doesn't seem to have been the case and it's not something we've dwelt on.

"Hopefully the dramatic reconstruction will jog someone's memory or someone's conscience. Someone out there knows who did it."

The programme will be screened on Tuesday September 4.