DETECTIVES hunting the weapon used in the horrific murder of Julie Smailes were last night digging up a garden.

Miss Smailes was found dead in her home in Wingrove Terrace, Leadgate, near Consett, County Durham, in October 1996.

The 27-year-old sales manager, who lived alone, had been stabbed more than 50 times and strangled. The murder weapon was never recovered.

Acting on a tip-off, a specialist police search team, equipped with military-issue metal detectors, yesterday began an inch-by-inch sweep of the back garden of a home in Briardale, Delves Lane, near Consett.

The semi-detached council house was the former home of Emma Kennedy, a close friend of John Thompson, the man police believe killed Miss Smailes.

Thompson, 27, hanged himself in August 1998, days after 18-year-old babysitter Rachel Tough was found bludgeoned to death at his home in Warwick Avenue, Moorside, Consett.

Detective Chief Superintendent Harry Stephenson, who is leading the inquiry, said: "We are looking for objects from Wingrove Terrace, where Julie Smailes was murdered."

He stressed that the present occupant of the house, a woman who has not been named, had nothing to do with the investigation.

"The householder is not implicated in any way with Julie's death," he said. "The lady has offered nothing but help to our officers."

The house at the focus of the search has a history of death and mystery attached to it.

Miss Kennedy, 22, was found dead at the bottom of Hownsgill Viaduct near Consett - known locally as Gill Bridge - on New Year's Eve 1999. The spot is only yards from where Thompson's body was found.

An inquest recorded an open verdict into her death after North Durham Coroner Andrew Tweddle declared there was not enough evidence to prove it was suicide.

But her father has always maintained his daughter was thrown off the bridge by Miss Smailes' murderers because she knew too much.

The house was also the scene of a brutal killing in 1998, when Miss Kennedy's boyfriend, Malcolm "Mally" Hester, 28, was beaten to death in a street attack.

In October last year, on the seventh anniversary of Miss Smailes' death, detectives revealed new forensic tests were being carried out on fingerprints and blood samples.

In April, detectives revealed they had DNA evidence proving Thompson was in Miss Smailes' house on the night she was killed.

Det Supt Stephenson said that, if Thompson were still alive, the evidence would be strong enough to prosecute him for her murder.

The tests also proved another three or four men were there. He said: "While I feel certain Thompson was there when Julie died, I have long been convinced he was not alone.

"There may have been as many as four people in the house. We won't rest until all avenues of inquiry are exhausted or those responsible have been arrested."

Detectives have always maintained that people in Consett knew who her killers were. An emotional appeal by her mother, Joy Gilmour, earlier this year prompted more people to come forward.

Officers will spend today and tomorrow interviewing new witnesses.

Further forensic tests on evidence found at the scene - made possible by recent advances in DNA technology - are also being carried out.

"From the amount of information I am still getting, this terrible death is still in the minds of people in Consett," said Det Supt Stephenson. "I think the wall of silence is starting to crumble."