A serial killer has finally admitted his guilt - eight years after murdering three teenage boys.

Steven Grieveson, who became known as the Sunderland Strangler, always denied his crimes.

But he has dramatically written a letter to the parents of his victims confessing all.

Grieveson, of Roker Avenue, Sunderland, was sentenced to three life sentences in 1996 for the murders of 15-year-olds David Hanson and David Grieff, and 18-year-old Thomas Kelly.

Now, all three families have been informed that the murderer, who has been told he will have to serve a minimum of 35 years behind bars, has finally admitted the killings.

Sheila Hanson, mother of David, said: "I felt physically sick when I found out. Why is he doing this?

"He has been told he will have to serve 35 years, so there's no way it can reduce his sentence."

Grieveson, 30, burned the bodies of his victims in order to cover his tracks during the four-month killing spree between November 26, 1993, and February 25, 1994.

Following his arrest, and throughout his trial, he refused to admit the killings.

The lack of evidence at first confused detectives, who believed the deaths were linked to experiments with solvents that had gone tragically wrong.

The families were told of the admission by Northumbria Victim Liaison Service, which contacted them by letter, informing them "that Steven Grieveson is now admitting guilt".

Judy Kelly, 50, mother of Thomas, said: "I was expecting this letter five years before his release but not now. He is a devious man and I can only think he is trying to get placed in a lower security prison."

The families plan to meet the victims service to find out the exact details of the admission.