THE father of murder victim Sara Cameron yesterday made an emotional trip back to the North-East, where she had been studying, to collect her degree.

Roy Cameron also awarded the new Sara Cameron Memorial Prize to student Neil McCallum, in memory of Sara's all round contribution to the Department of Sports Sciences at Northumbria University in Newcastle.

Finnish-born Sara, a second-year international sports management student, was murdered in a field 100 yards away from her home in Earsdon, North Tyneside, on the night she celebrated securing a work placement at the Sydney Olympics.

Her killer has not been found.

Mr Cameron, now of Devon, said: "I appreciate what the university is doing in recognition of the work Sara had done. She would have got her degree.

"I am particularly grateful for the new award. This will mean that she will stay in our memories and won't be forgotten. That is an important gesture."

Appealing for witnesses to come forward, he said: "Fifteen months have now elapsed (since her death) and we are still working hard and won't be giving up. "

Mr Cameron said his daughter had been accepted for a year's placement at the Olympic headquarters, in Lucerne, Switzerland, and had a bright career ahead of her.

He said: "This person took my daughter's life and, in a way, he took my life, as well as her mother's, because he took the meaning of life from us.

"This was a meaningless mindless act. I want justice. Justice for my daughter, justice for me and for her mother."

Anyone with information on the murder, on Friday, April 21, 2000, has been asked to contact police on 0191-214 6555