The shocking murder that led to a man's death in Strangeways

This week saw the 60th anniversary of the last executions in Britain - with one of the hangings taking place at Strangeways Prison.

60-years ago, on August 13, 1964, murderer Gwynne Evans, 24, was sent to the gallows in Manchester's Strangeways prison to die for his crime. His accomplice, 21-year old Peter Allen, was hanged at Liverpool’s Walton Prison at the same time - giving both men a grim epitaph as the last criminals to be put to death in the UK.

Evans and Allen were executed for the murder of 53-year old van driver John West in Cumbria in April earlier that year. The murder may not have made many national headlines at the time, but it sparked a police investigation that spanned across the north west, Lancs Live previously reported.

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Four months later, the case would etch its place in British legal history when Peter Anthony Allen and Gwynne Owen Evans, the two men responsible for the crime, were apprehended and brought to justice.

Interestingly, the pair didn't make it difficult for detectives to find them. The unemployed duo left a trail of clues after driving north from Preston in Lancashire to target their victim, who was a laundry driver.

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Evans, originally from the Cumbria town of Maryport, already knew Mr West - a single man living alone following the death of his mother. The crime took place just after 3am on April 7, after Evans and his accomplice set out in a stolen car.

Neighbours reported hearing thuds and a scream shortly before Mr West's body was discovered at the foot