MURDER squad detectives are hoping an artist's impression will bring new leads in the killing of a Blackpool garage owner.

The picture was issued after house-to-house inquiries brought forward new witnesses saying they had seen a man running from the vicinity of Alan Rosser's car repair workshop, behind the Imperial Hotel, where he was fatally shot in the head shortly after 6pm on November 12.

The man was said to be white, aged 25 to 35, about 6ft 2in tall, very slim with a gaunt face. He was wearing a dark bomber jacket and woollen hat, looked scared, and appeared to be carrying something under the arm of his jacket.

Det Supt Graham Gooch said they needed to identify the man, who was seen running from Egerton Road - near Mr Rosser's Imperial Engineering workshop in Back Eaves Street - into Carshalton Road towards Sherborne Road, and to find out where he had gone from there.

"It may be that this man has nothing to do with the murder, in which case we would urge him to come forward so we can eliminate him from the inquiry," said Supt Gooch. Meanwhile the 75-strong murder squad is still probing Mr Rosser's connections with the drugs scene. The 34-year-old had a minor conviction for cannabis possession, but police believe he may have become involved in drug-trafficking at a low level.

"We've had a lot of information about his connections, his business dealings and his social life," said Supt Gooch.

"We know he used to travel all over the north of England and Midlands, visiting clubs where he seemed to be well-known to the DJs and door staff in Sheffield, Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Manchester."

He was the subject of an attempted kidnap last March, but two men charged with that offence are not believed to have been involved in the shooting.

The police issued 4,000 leaflets in the area and set up a roadside checkpoint last Friday, which had been well worthwhile in terms of new leads, said Supt Gooch.

They were following up 554 lines of inquiry and had taken 176 statements up to Monday of this week.

Meanwhile, Mr Rosser's family are trying to raise funds to fly his twin brother over from Sydney, Australia, where he runs a courier service, in time for the funeral - expected in mid-December.

Mr Rosser, a single man, had been living with friends in Blackpool, but he was in close touch with his mother, who lives in Lancaster and did some book-keeping for the business. He had not seen his father, who lives in Yorkshire, for two years.

Anyone with information is asked to ring the murder Incident Room on (01253) 607311 or Crimestoppers on (0800) 555111.

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