DETECTIVES are to question mass murderer Philip Smith about the unsolved killing of North-East mother Ann Heron.

Odd-job man Smith, 36, was jailed for life on Wednesday after he admitted bludgeoning to death three women in his native Birmingham.

The former fairground worker had initially denied killing 21-year-old Jodie Hyde, Rosemary Corcoran, 25, and mother-of-six Carol Jordan in November.

But Smith, of Braithwaite Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham, changed his pleas to guilty when giving evidence at Leicester Crown Court.

Police in the West Midlands have declined to say how many crimes Smith could be linked with, but have said their investigations could go back 20 years and involve several forces.

It is almost the 11th anniversary of Ann Heron's death and no one has been caught for the killing.

The 44-year-old was found with her throat cut at her home on the outskirts of Darlington, on August 3 1990.

She had been sunbathing in the ground's of her home. Her bloodstained body was discovered by her husband, Peter.

Around the time of the killing, a sun-tanned man, aged between 35 and 40, was seen driving a blue car at speed down the drive of the house.

Smith used various ways to kill the Birmingham women. He strangled Jodie Hyde before setting fire to her body, and bludgeoned Rosemary Corcoran and Carol Jordan.

A spokesman for Durham Police said there was nothing to link the killer with the murder of Mrs Heron at the moment.

But he added: "We will be talking to and making contact with officers in Birmingham as a matter of routine and good practice."

Anyone with information should call 0191-386-4929 or (01325) 467681.