EXACTLY a week after pensioner Joan Albert was stabbed to death in her Suffolk home police were stepping up the hunt for her killer.The 79-year-old was found dead in the hall of her Boydlands home in Capel St Mary on Sunday Dec 16.

By Matt Eley

EXACTLY a week after pensioner Joan Albert was stabbed to death in her Suffolk home police were stepping up the hunt for her killer.

The 79-year-old was found dead in the hall of her Boydlands home in Capel St Mary on Sunday Dec 16.

On Saturday night > a team of 12 officers were in the surrounding area speaking to 200 motorists and pedestrians in a bid to gather vital clues.

Between 9pm and 3am officers spoke to people at the shopping precinct, the village hall and people using Boydlands and surrounding roads and Thorney Road.

The man leading the hunt for the killer, Detective Superintendent Roy Lambert said: "I would like to thank all those people who spoke to our officers for their co-operation and patience.

"We have gathered a significant amount of information and we will now be examining it in more detail to see whether it can move our inquiry forward.

Speaking at the scene on Saturday Detective Sergeant Chris Cushnahan said information from the public could be vital in the search for the killer.

He said: "What we have got here is an horrific attack on an elderly, defenceless person in her own home. I am sure that there must be a lot of elderly people who live here who must be very concerned."

He also said that they had received calls from people who attended a line-dancing club last Saturday following an appeal.

"There has been a number of calls coming into the incident room from people who were at that function last Saturday and all those calls will be followed up and eventually we will try to eliminate them from our inquiries.

"The main thing is that if there is anyone at all who hasn't been seen is that they contact the incident room. That is extremely important, especially people who were in this area between 9pm and 3am last Saturday."

When police started their inquiries in the snow covered area around the shopping precinct the scene remained was quiet. Some members of the public said it was quieter than usual due to people's concerns after the murder.

Linda Evans, who lives in Capel St Mary, said: "You can see the effect it has had, there's nobody about. I am just trying to carry on.

"I do not feel I will be intimidated by it but people are much more aware that's the effect it's having."

She added that people were making more effort to walk in groups at night in a bid to ensure their safety.

The reward for information leading to the capture of Joan Albert's killer has risen to £5,000 – half from pledges from businesses in Capel St Mary, half from The Evening Star.

If you would like to help the reward fund please contact Tina Heath at the Star on 01473 282386, fax on 01473 225296 or email her on tina.heath@ecng.co.uk or StarNews@ecng.co.uk

Anyone with information should contact the murder incident room on 01473 613777 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.