POLICE were today preparing to dig at Worcester's Norton Barracks in a fresh attempt to find the body of missing estate agent Suzy Lamplugh.

Last week, detectives questioned convicted killer John Cannan in the hope of generating new leads about the estate agent's disappearance in 1986.

Today's developments were the latest twist in a murder hunt which has remained a mystery for the Lamplugh family and the British public.

Detectives first visited the former Worcestershire Regiment barracks nine years ago, after a former girlfriend of Cannan claimed he had confessed to killing Miss Lamplugh and had implied she was buried there.

Despite two visits to the site by detectives, a full search of the 55-acre site has never carried out. But, today, officers were ready to start digging after receiving new information in recent months.

"This is an important element of our inquiry," said Det Supt Shaun Sawyer, of the Metropolitan Police. "But I'd like to stress that we're extremely cautious about the likelihood of success. We'd like to find Suzy, but we have to be realistic."

Cannan was jailed in 1989 for the abduction and murder of 29-year-old sales manager Shirley Banks, but later denied any involvement in Miss Lamplugh's death.

Scotland Yard today said Cannan was no longer being quizzed.

Miss Lamplugh, aged 25, vanished after leaving her office to show a "Mr Kipper" around a property in Fulham. She was officially declared dead in 1994, but the case was reopened after an episode of Crimewatch, which prompted 130 calls.

Five months after her disappearance, Miss Lamplugh's mother Diana set up the Suzy Lamplugh Trust to educate working women on how to avoid becoming crime victims.

A West Mercia Police spokesman said officers had met detectives from the Met to discuss a number of sites and would give assistance, if needed.