Former Keighley woman Yvonne O'Brien may have been murdered by a German, it was revealed this afternoon.

Police believe she may have been silenced by the sex killer because of her involvement in a social security fraud.

Police on the holiday island of Majorca, where she lived, have already revealed that threatening letters were found in her home in the resort of Alcudia.

Today a morning paper on the island claimed the letters - written in English and sent from London - were from a German threatening her after she said she would expose the fraud.

Jason Moore, editor of Majorca's English-language newspaper the Daily Bulletin, said: "The Ultima Hora says the German signed the letters.

"The police know who he is and he has a pony tail - which fits the description of the man seen leaving her house after the murder.

"There is a ferry from Alcudia to Minorca and they think he caught that, so they are now liaising with Interpol and Scotland Yard."

Mrs O'Brien, whose brother Philip Graham still lives in Keighley, moved to the island three years ago after divorcing her husband in Buckinghamshire.

Her mutilated body was found on Aug 30.

My grief - by pal of murder victim

A woman who was the childhood friend of Yvonne O'Brien in the 1960s has told of her shock at learning of her death.

Marilyn Anderton, 44, was Yvonne's best friend when they both attended school in Oakworth, Marilyn living in Dockroyd and Yvonne in Brook Road, Oakworth.

Mrs O'Brien's mutilated body was found a week ago in a rented flat where she lived in Majorca. She had been repeatedly stabbed and the Spanish words for sex, love and peace had been daubed in blood on the wall of the bedroom where she was found.

But Mrs Anderton recalled their innocent days playing in Oakworth park and by the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway and Yvonne's love of animals.

"She was gentle and loyal - she would do anything for anybody, give them her last penny," said Marilyn, a mother-of-five, of Exley Crescent, Keighley.

"I knew her from being aged about eight - we went out every night after school, exercising puppies.

"She was generous and a laugh to be with, always happy-go-lucky.

"I can't believe what has happened to her. When I was told, I cried. I was so shaken. It's awful.

"I can't believe her life has ended in such a terrible and sad way.

"She was a bit on the wild side - but she never did anything wrong. She just liked having fun.

"Later she got interested in hippies and went down to London. She would get in touch and we'd chat."

It was ten years ago when the friends last met, Yvonne travelling up from the south to Keighley to see relatives.

"She was very happy and had Daniel, her son, with her - he was about three. She said she was living in Buckinghamshire. I think she was quite well off. We talked about old times - it was very nice to see her," said Mrs Anderton, who works as an auxiliary nurse.

Mrs O'Brien moved to Majorca about three years ago from Buckinghamshire following her divorce.

Spanish police, who have been forbidden to comment on the case by the judge presiding over the investigation, are hoping forensic tests will enable them to draw up a DNA profile of Mrs O'Brien's killer.

The hunt for a man seen with her on the morning of her murder has also been extended to mainland Spain.

The suspect is described as being medium build with long dark hair, dark skin and rugged features.

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