Gloucester cafe bosses say 'extraordinary twist of fate' now links them to serial killers Fred and Rose West
Bosses at a Gloucester cafe being searched for the body of a suspected victim of Fred and Rose West say an "extraordinary twist of fate" now links their premises to the killers.
The Clean Plate Cafe in Southgate Street was sealed off after new evidence suggested a body linked to killer Fred West may be buried inside.
Police believe it could be the body of 15-year-old Mary Bastholm who went missing on her way to catch a bus to visit her boyfriend in the city in January 1968. She was never found.
The cafe is owned by Nelson Trust, an addiction rehabilitation and women’s support charity, and will remain shut while officers carry out their investigations.
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Documentary crews had been filming at the eatery when "possible evidence" of the body was discovered, according to Gloucestershire Police.
A spokeswoman for The Nelson Trust said: “Our thoughts and sympathies are very much with the families affected by this long-running, tragic story.
“As soon as we were made aware of the situation, we have done everything we can to accommodate the investigation. The Clean Plate will remain closed until all necessary activity is complete.
"At The Nelson Trust we work hard to support women who have experienced violence so they can have a life of security, away from the stress and trauma that violence causes to its victims and survivors.
“From our Women’s Centre in Gloucester we support women who experience multiple and complex needs, the women and girls who, sadly, are often most vulnerable to experiencing sexual and other forms of violence.”
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