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McKay family hopeful after digging up back garden

Alex Popeand
Justin Dealey,Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire
News imageMcKay family A headshot photo of Muriel McKay standing outdoors with a wall behind her that is partially covered in the creeper wisteria. She wears a flattering white rimmed hat, cluster earrings and a dark-coloured coat. The photo is sepia coloured.McKay family
Brothers Arthur and Nizamodeen Hosein were convicted of Muriel McKay's kidnap and murder in 1970

The family of a woman who was murdered 56 years ago say they are "forever hopeful" of finding her body after conducting a new search at a back garden in east London.

Muriel McKay was kidnapped in 1969 and held at a farm in Hertfordshire for a £1m ransom, after being mistaken for the then-wife of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch.

Earlier, an independent survey and dig was carried out in the shared garden of two properties on Bethnal Green Road where it is thought she could be buried. A bone was discovered, but after the Metropolitan Police attended, they confirmed it was not human.

McKay's grandson Mark Dyer said he hoped to return for more searches.

Speaking to the BBC, he said he believed the garden was her "final resting place".

News imagePA Media An aerial view of the shared back garden of two neighbouring properties on Bethnal Green Road, east London. It shows a road in front and to the left with cars on it. A roof area with chairs and seating on it, and a small green patch in a garden. Building are around the garden area. PA Media
A search was carried out in the back of two properties in Bethnal Green Road in east London

A Met Police spokesperson confirmed a single bone was uncovered at the property.

"Officers attended the scene assisted by forensic colleagues who have determined the bone does not belong to a human."

News imageBettman Custody photos of Arthur and Nizam Hosein side by side, in black and white. They both wear white shirts and dark jackets. They have 1960s fashion hairstyles and Arthur has a moustache while Nizam is clean shaven. Bettman
Arthur Hosein, left, worked at a tailor's shop in Bethnal Green. Nizam Hosein was also convicted of McKay's murder

McKay, the wife of newspaper executive Alick McKay, was kidnapped after she was mistaken for Anna Murdoch.

She was held at Rooks Farm in Stocking Pelham, near Bishop's Stortford, by brothers Arthur and Nizamodeen Hosein, who were later convicted of her kidnapping and murder in 1970.

Last year, police spent several days digging up the grounds of the farm in a failed attempt to locate her remains.

Then a new lead came forward and said Arthur Hosein worked with her father at the tailor's shop he ran on Bethnal Green Road.

She claimed her father believed that a former Polish World War Two soldier, who he employed, brought McKay's body to the yard.

In November, at the High Court, Mr Justice Richard Smith refused permission for a survey to be conducted.

News imageMcKay family Muriel McKay sitting on a striped black and yellow garden swing with her grandson Mark as a young child. She is giggling and holding a book or piece of paper, which he is looking at. He wears a white collared t-shirt and has short blonde hair.McKay family
Mark Dyer, pictured as a child with his grandmother, has now been leading family efforts to recover her remains

Dyer said the dig started at about 09:30 GMT, after they reached an agreement with the property's management.

"We were only allowed to dig in a certain area, an area found from a scan. We've only done 20% of it," he explained.

"We're forever hopeful. We need to continue the search, and hopefully we'll be allowed back next week to carry on with the investigation we're doing - to continue looking in the spot."

He thinks her remains could be among other bones.

"It's great to be allowed to look for her, this is the final place we need to look. We need to tick this one off the list."

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