A HOUSE at the centre of one of Britain's most baffling unsolved murders is likely to become an animal training centre and crematorium.

Darlington council has received an application to build the centre on land at Aeolian House, which lies on the outskirts of the town.

The house made headlines in 1990 when housewife Ann Heron was found with her throat cut. Her killer has never been found. After a number of years on the market, the house is close to being sold for a figure believed to be in the region of £220,000.

The potential buyers, Andrew and Louise Bloomfield, plan to live and run their business from the property at Morton Palms, Middleton St George.

They are seeking permission to build kennels for 40 dogs and cats, a training complex and animal crematorium on the four-acre site.

Mrs and Mrs Bloomfield, who have a 17-month-old son Louis, say they are well aware of the history of the house.

"We live in a 500-year-old house in Yarm and lots of people have died in it over the years," said Mrs Bloomfield.

"People die all the time for whatever reason, and we just think it is a nice house."

Mrs and Mrs Bloomfield hope to move into Aeolian House in the next couple of months.

Mrs Heron's husband, Peter, said that he would probably move to Scotland to live with his current wife.

"There has been a lot of interest in the house from local people recently, which there wasn't a couple of years ago," he said.