VIEWERS last night watched as a television documentary tried to tell the story of the unsolved murder of Darlington woman, Ann Heron.

People right across the UK tuned into "The Mysterious Murder of Ann Heron" after months in the making and huge anticipation.

The feature-length documentary, which aired on Channel 5 at 10pm on Tuesday (May 3), retold the events following part-time care assistant Ann Heron's death in 1990.

Read more: When Channel 5's Ann Heron murder documentary will air on TV

With evidence, interviews and accounts from what has been dubbed is one of the UK's most mysterious unsolved crimes, the show brought the case back into the limelight.

The Northern Echo: Picture: NORTHERN ECHOPicture: NORTHERN ECHO

It also featured an interview with The Northern Echo's Chris Lloyd who gave an in-depth insight into how the press reported on the murder and subsequent investigation.

But as the documentary aired, dozens took to social media to share their thoughts as events were replayed over the space of an hour-and-a-half.

Taking to Twitter, some appeared to praise the documentary and the re-telling of the well-known case, while others were left feeling slightly unconvinced.

Read more: Durham Police accused of 'failings' in unsolved Ann Heron murder

One user, known as Trace, questioned if the documentary would throw up anything unreported, going as far to say that parts of it were "sensationalist."

She said: "The murder of Ann Heron in 1990 was never solved. For Darlington, a quiet town at the time, this violent crime was shocking.

"Wondering what, if any, new information this Channel 5 programme will reveal. Seems to be sensationalist muck-raking so far."

Meanwhile, other viewers of the show appeared to be critical of the detail involved, branding the documentary as "intrusive."

However, not all viewers were critical of the show itself, rather they appeared to share concerns with Durham Police.

Viewer Tommy Hepburn said: "@DurhamPolice taking a pasting in the Ann Heron murder documentary. Another force should review the case."

Another added that the force had not been shown in the best light.

Last week, The Echo exclusively revealed Durham Police had referred itself to the watchdog over its handling of the case after Ann Heron's family accused the force of failings.

The Northern Echo: Peter Heron, the widower of Ann, features in the documentary. Picture: NORTHERN ECHOPeter Heron, the widower of Ann, features in the documentary. Picture: NORTHERN ECHO

In 2005, Mrs Heron's widower Peter was arrested for the killing, but police dropped the charges before they could come to court.

That has meant Mr Heron has never formally been deemed "not guilty," while the family have been on a long-running campaign to try and clear his name for good.

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Mr Heron’s daughter, Debbie Simpson, told The Northern Echo: “His family and true friends knew from the moment of his arrest that a terrible mistake had been made and now, after being in possession of the prosecution bundle of evidence against him for over 16 years, we believe we have finally uncovered the truth of the circumstances which led to his arrest and have made a formal complaint.

“Since the moment of Dad’s arrest, I have fought relentlessly to keep Ann’s case alive and in the public eye in the hope that one day, Durham Constabulary would find her real killer and Dad’s name would be cleared; a hope sadly not shared by some. 

“In the face of mounting evidence to the contrary and increasing public knowledge and awareness of the facts, it is inhumane that at the age of 87, Dad continues to live with the finger of suspicion hanging firmly over him through the actions and failures of others.”

What Durham Police have said on the investigation

The force previously told The Echo that it is still its "ambition" to find and convict the person responsible for Mrs Heron's death.

A Durham Police spokesman said: “The murder of Ann Heron has been thoroughly investigated and subject to constant review over the last 32 years, including the use of new investigative techniques with the advancement of forensic technology.

“It is still the ambition of Durham Constabulary to convict the person responsible for Ann’s murder.

“At this time there is no new evidence that identifies new suspects, but we remain open-minded and committed.”

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