POLICE believe that a man called Burrows could hold the key to solving a 20-year hunt for a killer.

Murder squad detectives have revealed that a red Ford Cortina car belonging to murdered mechanic Laurence Winstanley was taken to a Rochdale scrapyard two days after his reported disappearance.

The car was left at the scrapyard on 4 October 1988 by a man who gave the name 'Burrows', but he has never been traced since.

The estate car, which had the registration number SAT385W, was examined by the police after Mr Winstanley was reported missing on 5 October by his mother.

It is believed to have disappeared the day that the 23-year-old went missing from the Windsor Pub in Royton.

The Cortina, bought by Mr Winstanley a month before his brutal killing, was then returned to the scrap yard because it was not believed to be relevant to what was at the time a missing persons' inquiry.

But detectives making a fresh appeal for information believe that the man named Burrows could hold vital information about who was responsible for Mr Winstanley's death.

Detective superintendent Colin Prime, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "I am convinced that the killer didn't act alone and we are appealing for any information.

"A vital piece of information is that two days after Laurence's disappearance, his Red Cortina turned up in a scrapyard and it was left there by a man called Burrows.

"I'm convinced that he could hold vital information – where did he get that car from and why was he taking it to a scrapyard ?"

Mr Winstanley, who lived in Ogden and Milnrow as a child before moving to Shaw in Oldham, was found dead in Batings Dam Reservoir near Ripponden, West Yorkshire, on 26 September 2009 – almost a year since his disappearance from the Windsor Pub.

Detective Superintendent Prime said that Mr Winstanley had taken a telephone call at the pub and whatever had been said in the phone call caused him to act ill at ease.

He told people that he was going to see his mother and he left the pub between 1.30pm and 2pm.

But he didn't arrive at his mother's home, which was just a five minute journey, until 3pm.

Detective Superintendent Prime added: "I am keen to find out who he spoke to because whoever he spoke to caused him to feel ill at ease."

A post mortem revealed that Mr Winstanley had received a gunshot wound to the head.

His body was wrapped in curtain material and it was weighted down.

It was only because of the hot summer of 1989, which affected the water level in the dam, that his body was revealed.

Crimestoppers has offered a £10,000 reward to catch those responsible for Mr Winstanley's murder.

And in an emotional press conference at Halifax Police Station his mother Vanessa Winstanley, 70, said she is also offering £25,000 of her own money to help bring the killer to justice.

The mother of four said: "Please come forward. I know it must be frightening.

"It's just awful to think what they did to him. Please come forward and give me some peace."

She added: "I'm quite willing to pay £25,000 along with the £10,000 to catch the killers.

"I don't do the lottery, I never gamble, but we've always said that if we won the million pounds, we'd say 'Here's the cheque, come and have it.'

"I've worked really hard to bring these people to justice and I will not let go until they're found. "They'll never get away with it, with my last breath I'll go on."