The uncle of a schoolgirl murdered with her playmate in a city park is calling for the return of the death penalty.

Ian Heffron's niece, Nicola Fellows, was found dead with Karen Hadaway in Wild Park, Brighton, in 1986.

The two nine-year-olds had been sexually assaulted and strangled.

Mr Heffron, from Rhondda, South Wales, launched his campaign following the discovery of the bodies of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, from Soham in Cambridgeshire.

Roofer Russell Bishop was tried and acquitted of murdering Nicola and Karen and the case remains unsolved.

Four years after his trial, Bishop sexually assaulted and tried to strangle a seven-year-old girl and is currently serving life for her attempted murder.

Mr Heffron said: "What deterrent is there to stop people snatching children off the street?

"Nothing has changed since the Moors Murders, since Nicola's death or that of Sarah Payne."

Sarah Payne's killer Roy Whiting was jailed for four years for snatching and assaulting a schoolgirl before being freed and murdering Sarah. He refused therapy while in prison.

Mr Heffron said: "Life imprisonment does not mean life and we want to see a proper public debate and referendum on the return of the death penalty for child murderers. These people must know the consequences of their actions.

"I would vote for the death penalty but what we are asking for is a proper debate and referendum.

"I believe there will be a huge groundswell of opinion following the deaths of Holly and Jessica."

He is now collecting signatures for a petition and similar campaigns are being organised in other cities and towns.

In May this year, we reported how Nicola's mother Susan Eismann, 52, said she would not rest until her daughter's killer was brought to justice.

Mr Heffron said: "We want sex offenders to undergo treatment and, if the therapy is proved successful, then the offender can get time off.

"Offenders who refuse or fail treatment should serve full sentences."

Sarah Payne's family are campaigning for the introduction of Sarah's Law, which would allow public access to files on child sex offenders.