A member of the armed services is campaigning to commemorate a police inspector and a nightwatchman who were shot dead in an armed robbery more than 40 years ago.

Neil Adamson, of Pudsey, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the cold-blooded murders of Insp Barry Taylor, 31, and 32-year-old Ian Riley, at Sunny Bank Mills, Farsley, on February 15, 1970.

Adamson, a safe-blower, was confronted at the mills by Mr Riley and shot him dead with a 12-bore shotgun. Police arrived on the scene and Adamson killed Insp Taylor, who had served ten years in the force and was marked out for promotion, by shooting him in the back.

Adamson fled and was driven to Bradford, where he lay low before being moved to Colne, Lancashire, where he was arrested.

Now Royal Navy communications officer Richard Jones wants to honour the memory of the two victims with a plaque at, or near, the scene of the crime.

Mr Jones, 33, formerly of Farsley but now living in Bridlington, has had four memorials put up to mark other tragedies, including rail crashes at Lockington and Moorgate.

He said: “I think these are forgotten victims who deserve to be remembered.

“A lot of police officers who fell in the line of duty have plaques in their memory, but there is nothing for this officer, or the man who died with him.

“He went in unarmed and it needs to be highlighted that every day police officers are going into situations like that. Their next call out could be their last.”

He has contacted Leeds Councillor Andrew Carter about the plaque and says he has his support.

Mr Jones said: “Ideally, it would be nice to have a plaque on the wall of Sunny Bank Mills, but if not there are other places close by, including a memorial garden.”

Mr Jones also wants to tell the story of the lives of the two men and is seeking to contact anyone who remembered the incident or was involved in it.

“I would particularly like to hear from relatives of the people who died that night.”

He can be contacted by e-mail at shipwreckdata@yahoo.co.uk.