THE mother of a five-year-old who was murdered 14 years ago has vowed to continue her fight to keep her daughter's killer behind bars.

Margaret Lowther suffocated in a pool of mud while her cousin, John Johnston, then 17, raped her on a gypsy campsite in Morecambe, Lancashire, in February 1988.

He is serving a life sentence in Magheraberry Prison, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Margaret's mother Carol, 38, of Eton Road, Stockton, Teesside, has been invited by the prison service in Northern Ireland to have her say on whether he should be released.

"They have asked me to write a letter saying how it affected my life over the years," she said. "When Johnston comes up for parole my feelings will be taken into account."

Mrs Lowther, who has three other children, has already handed in a 3,000-name petition to Downing Street, carried out a lone picketing protest outside Magheraberry, and handed in a letter of protest to Stormont House.

But last year, she feared her campaign had been in vain when Johnston was allowed day release from jail.

"I gave up and lost heart. Now getting this letter, it's building me back up again. I'm hoping this will put a stop to any plans to let him out."

On Sunday, it will be the anniversary of Margaret's death and yesterday, Valentine's Day, Mrs Lowther took flowers to her daughter's grave at Oxbridge cemetery, in Stockton.

"She'll never leave my heart," she said