ITV to make Moors Murders drama

Myra Hindley died in hospital in November 2002

ITV is to make a "major factual drama" about Moors murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, with the support of their victims' relatives.

Writer Neil McKay said See No Evil: The Story of the Moors Murders would give "an unsensational account of the most notorious crimes of the last century".

Filming is scheduled to begin in Manchester later this year.

The Granada drama will be screened in 2006, marking the 40th anniversary of Brady and Hindley's trial.

"The focus is not only on their crimes but also on the effects of those crimes," said McKay, whose previous work for ITV includes Planespotting and Wall of Silence.

"The response from the families of the victims has been enormously encouraging and we hope the finished film will do them justice."

Casting for the drama has yet to be announced.

'Seems accurate'

Brady and Hindley were convicted at Chester Assizes of the murders of Lesley Ann Downey, aged 10, in 1964, and Edward Evans, aged 17, in 1965.

Brady was also convicted of the murder of 12-year-old John Kilbride.

In 1987 Brady and Hindley confessed to two further murders - those of Pauline Reade, aged 16, and 12-year-old Keith Bennett.

The bodies of Downey, Kilbride and Reade were found buried on Saddleworth Moor. Bennett's remains have never been found.

Ian Brady, pictured with Hindley, is detained at a mental hospital

"I've gone through the script and it seems accurate," said Danny Kilbride, brother of John Kilbride.

"I'd rather it was made in my lifetime so I can help as much as I can to try and make it true to life."

His sentiments were echoed by Alan West, Lesley Ann Downey's stepfather.

"People have got to know what happened," he said.

"The younger generation might not know anything about it but should do. It's part of our history."

"We felt that now was the right time to make this programme," said executive producer Jeff Pope.

"In the anniversary year of the trial, we're going to take an in-depth look at how two of Britain's most notorious child killers were caught."

The programme is based on two years of research, including interviews with retired detectives, the murdered children's relatives and David Smith, Myra Hindley's brother-in-law.

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