'As long as I've got breath in me I will will fight for justice for Lisa'

Dozens of mourners held a vigil for Lisa Jane Hession, who was just 14 years old when she was found strangled in an alleyway near her home in Leigh. Had she still been alive Lisa would have been 54 years old today.

Lisa had been walking home on the night of December 8 1984 when she was the victim of a sex attack and was then strangled to death. Her loved ones and classmates worked hard to ensure her memory has been kept alive.

A vigil in her memory saw people retracing the route she would have taken the night that she was attacked. While 40 years may have passed, those at the vigil feel as though little has improved for women and girls' safety.

READ MORE: She kissed her boyfriend goodnight and began to walk home - she never made it back alive

Attendee Jennifer Hill was a friend of Lisa's at school. She told the Manchester Evening News: "Lisa was one of my mates. She was very interested in learning stuff. We had a circle of friends, she came to my birthday.

"I was 16 when it happened. When it all happened there was quite a lot of us who were frightened.

"All the circle of us went in groups. Things haven't gotten better."

Abby Hollywood came to pay her respects, and told the M.E.N. she doesn't think that it is any safer now for women and girls. "I think it's gotten worse," she said.

"You're just made aware of all the things. If you think you're being followed don't tie your hair in a ponytail so they don't grab it all at once.

"Shout 'fire' not 'help', because you're told that people are more likely to respond if someone shouts fire."

Angela Mennell said: "I was 16 when it happened. Heaven had an angel missing."

Ryan Daly worked to organise the vigil, which came from a Facebook group that he started online.

Members