THE key to solving the murder of Shafilea Ahmed lies in Warrington claims the senior police officer leading the investigation.

Supt Geraint Jones said the 17-year-old had few connections outside of the region except for family in west Yorkshire and Pakistan.

Supt Geraint Jones said: “There are people out there who through chance or fear are not telling us the truth.

“There is definitely somebody there that holds the key to this case. They need the confidence to bring the person or persons responsible to justice.”

The former Great Sankey High School and Priestley College student’s decomposed body was found by the River Kent, at Sedgwick, Kendal, in February 2004 – five months after she went missing from her home at Liverpool Road, Great Sankey.

Forensic experts were able to establish that the body was that of the missing teenager through DNA testing and dental records.

Six years later, despite numerous appeals and a reconstruction on Crimewatch, nobody has been charged with her murder.

Many people responded to the television appeal in 2008 but nothing of great significance emerged.

“It is a desperately sad case. She had everything to live for. Somebody holds the key, they need to come forward. That is what anybody who cares for Shafilea would want,” added Supt Jones.

A Freedom of Information request revealed that more than £1 million had been spent on the investigation so far. Every three months the case is reviewed.

Supt Jones added: “With any case you start around the victim. What was going on? Who was she associating with? Who had motive opportunity? And who is bad enough to go and kill somebody?”

He said Shafilea’s murder seems to be an isolated case and said that police still have hope and will keep trying to catch whoever killed the student who dreamed of being a lawyer.

Anyone with any information should call Supt Jones on 0845 458 0000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or go to crimestoppers-uk.org.