Relatives of Anne Grigg-Booth's victims said her death on Monday robbed them of answers about her motives.

The sister of 75-year-old victim Eva Blackburn, from Haworth, said she was glad Grigg-Booth was dead. Speaking for the first time about her sister's death, 83-year-old Amy Newman branded her murderer "evil".

She said: "The case was just like another Shipman -- she was killing them off like flies.

"What beats me is how she managed to get hold of all these drugs without being noticed -- I thought that what happened with Shipman was supposed to have changed all that.

"She must have had a reason for taking these lives but I don't understand. She might have been evil, that's all you can say.

"It's not often you say you're glad someone has died, but I am glad she is dead."

She added: "It's a bit upsetting there won't be a trial because we would have liked to have got to the bottom of what happened to my sister. But I will certainly not mourn her loss.

"In a way it is a relief it is all over, it has been hanging over our heads for years now. A trial would not bring Eva back."

Amy, who lives in Cullingworth, said she had been left numb after her sister Eva's death.

The grandmother said: "None of us could believe it, she was fighting fit and so strong. I just can't understand why anyone would want to harm such a defenceless old lady.

"It has been such a tragic loss for all of us. Why anyone would do such an evil and pointless thing is beyond me.

"What possible reason could there be to kill Eva and all the other people?"

The widow described her sister as "such a big character", who loved to play bingo.

She said that although Eva never had children of her own, she adored Amy's grandchildren and spoilt them at every opportunity.

The tearful pensioner detailed the emotional few hours leading up to Eva's murder. She said: "Eva had been struggling with her breathing for a few days so I kept telling her to go to the doctors.

"She was a very strong, tall, lady who was never ill and was always joking that there was something wrong with me and my younger sister, Ivy."

Even when she was admitted to hospital, Amy said her sister's spirits were up.

"She was laughing and joking right until the end. When I asked her how she was, she pointed to the drip and replied, 'I'll be fine now that the buggers have put that in'.

"Despite being treated, her health seemed to deteriorate fast. We were told to phone Ivy and tell her to come in as it didn't look good. When Ivy arrived Eva had a big smile and said 'you get in bed with me' and that was the last thing she said. She died just moments later."

Eva Blackburn died at Airedale Hospital on November 13, 2001, after being administered poison by nurse Grigg-Booth.

Mrs Newman said: "It's hard to believe that this woman was able to get away with what she did for so long.

"I'm just glad that she won't be able to do this to anyone else ever again.

"Eva was tough as old boots, and I'm sure she would still be here if it wasn't for that nurse.

"Now we will never understand why she did what she did."

In June 2002, staff nurse Gwyneth Trout was given pethadone by her colleague Grigg-Booth while she was waiting to see a doctor for abdominal pains, but she does not believe she was trying to poison her.

Mrs Trout was one of the patients to whom Grigg-Booth was charged with administering noxious substances.

The 45-year-old, of Greystones Mount, Keighley, said: "As a nurse you have to receive special training to give intravenous opiates that are injected into the veins, and I assumed she had been given that as she always gave it.

"She was trying her best to ease the pain -- not for once did I think she was doing anything to harm me. I'd be shocked if those were her intentions. It's not something I would ever have imagined."

Mrs Trout had hoped the trial would shed light on the incident. She said: "I was waiting for the trial and hoped that would clear things up. But now I will always wonder what happened that night. Now I will never know. I really feel for the families -- they need answers."