Neil Stephan will never forget that morning 38 years ago.
It was December 10, 1984, and he was a pupil at Bedford High in Leigh. That day in school, news which had broken across the town manifested itself in tears and disbelief in the corridors.
Lisa Hession, a cross country runner with Leigh Harriers, talented gymnast and confident 14-year-old, had been strangled in an alleyway 200 yards from her home in the town.
In the months that followed, Neil and others found a way of making sure the girl with a zest for life was forever remembered at her school. A cherry tree, loved for its majestic blossom, was planted in the grounds and a plaque bearing her name was installed.
Sadly, the tree was destroyed earlier this year during a storm. And, as the 38th anniversary of Lisa's murder dawned this week, plans to replace it were met with overwhelming support from the local community.
Neil, who now lives in Leigh, can see Bedford High from his home. "I was in Lisa's class," he says now. "I was living in Boothstown at the time.
"I was the one who arranged to get donations from everyone at the school at that time. I went to the Worsley Hall Garden Centre with a teacher after school.
"I knew the owner of the garden centre as I delivered his morning newspaper and that's how we got the tree. I have wanted to go back to the school many times to lay flowers by the tree but never did.
"I will never forget the Monday morning at school following the weekend Lisa died. That was a very black day. All the girls were crying and the police were everywhere - at the school too.
"I remember Lisa very well. She sat in class at the front. Every time I came into class Lisa would say to me 'who you gawping at?' - I was tall and lanky at the time.
"She was very popular and very outgoing. A lovely girl. I have never forgotten her. I think the idea of a new tree has to be achieved. We have to keep a memorial to her.
"I think the school's current pupils should be told about her and make sure any new memorial is cared for. I hope too that one day the person who took her life is identified. It is almost 40 years now."
The idea for a new tree has come from a teacher at Bedford High, Louise Brandwood-Price. She recently posted a message on the 'Justice for Lisa Hession' Facebook page, which was set up in 2016 by local people Ryan Daly and Andrea Aldred Ashcroft, an old school mate of Lisa's.
The site, which has 2,300 members, has been both a source of potential new intelligence for Greater Manchester Police's Cold Case Unit, and a place which has rekindled memories of Lisa.
Louise posted: "I've worked at Bedford High School for almost 27 years in the woodwork, art and pottery departments. As one of three longest serving staff members I remember Lisa's passing when I was a teenager and have walked past her memorial tree during work a million times.
"Earlier in the year, in the storms, Lisa's tree uprooted and, after several attempts by the school gardener re staking and supporting it, it couldn't be saved and was sadly removed, as the roots had been badly exposed. Lisa's plaque remains in the Quadrangle Garden.
"I think it only respectful and decent to Lisa to care for the area and, if a new plant, shrub or tree were to be replanted on the site in her name, it would keep her memory alive and show ongoing support for The Justice for Lisa Hession cause. As a keen gardener I have spoken to our headteacher about this. He is very much in support. I suggested maybe a climbing rose and a wooden obelisk.
"I wanted to ask people's opinion - her friends who knew her best...There are people in the community who have enquired about the memorial, her school friends and ladies who knew her.
"I thought it only respectful to ask everyone as time moves on. I would very much appreciate your thoughts."
Neil has since offered to provide a silver birch sapling he is currently growing and Louise has been contacted by Gail Murphy, who lives in Lisa's former home, who suggested a shrub rose called "Lisa" and recommended a supplier.
In an update, Louise posted: "I now need to speak to school and update them on the response and interest in the planting and how we next move forward. I'm glad I asked the question about the tree as the positive response has been overwhelming."
It is hoped a new tree will be planted in the New Year.
In response to Louise's idea, Andrea Buckley Tyrer posted: "That’s so lovely, I have a daughter at Bedford and think it’s wonderful that staff there are so caring about keeping Lisa’s memory alive. I was very young when Lisa was murdered but remember how upset I was about it. She will never be forgotten, with this group and Bedford High School keeping her memory alive, a climbing rose sounds wonderful."
Michelle Debattista commented: "What an extremely nice gesture and so nice to hear Lisa is still remembered by the school, a new climbing rose or alternative would be a lovely way to make her memory live on."
Janet Stathearn said: "I was a childhood friend of Lisa also , what a lovely gesture of you to carry on the remembrance of our good friend Lisa, would love to see a cherry blossom tree for Lisa."
Jayne Smith posted: "I was at school with Lisa and think about her often. This is a lovely post and I’m overwhelmed that a teacher at Bedford High is doing it. Thank you Louise. It would be lovely if her friends could be part of the process and visit the school when the tree is planted. I have never been back to Bedford since leaving in 1986, and I’ve never seen Lisa’s memorial garden."
Lianne Atherton responded to Louise by posting: "I was a friend of Lisa from primary school to secondary school. She was an only child, beautiful and independent with lots of friends. That you are willing to do this is amazing and gives great comfort to her friends that have never forgotten her and never will. Whenever I go to the cemetery to visit her I leave a white rose."
She suggested flowers that would bloom around the time of Lisa's birthday - April 12th - like camellia and clematis.
Gail Murphy lives in Lisa's former home on Bonnywell Road. She commented: "Hi, I live in Lisa's old house. I didn't know her as I didn't live in Leigh then, but my husband lived on Rubgy Road at the time, not far from where she was found, he knew her.
"Later in the years he used to do odd jobs for Lisa's mum, Christine, as he does with various neighbours. When I spoke to Christine she always talked about Lisa and described her as bright and beautiful and full of life.
"Christine's favourite flower was the rose. If Neil's tree doesn't happen for any reason I'd like to suggest the Lisa rose bush. It's a double bloom so brighter than a standard rose and obviously flowers repeatedly."
Lisa Jane Hession was raised by her mum, Christine and her grandma, Ellen. Hours before her death she had attended a party with friends at a house in Leigh Road.
Her mum had allowed her to go on condition that she was back home by 10.30pm. Her reward for getting back on time was to be allowed to go to her school's disco two nights later.
She left the party at about 10.15pm, kissing her boyfriend, Craig Newell, then 16, goodbye at the gate. She walked through the town centre and onto St Helens Road, before she was seen turning into Buck Street. At that point she was a minute's walk from her front door. She never made it home.
A father and son who had been walking their dog found Lisa's body in a ginnel behind Rugby Road, at five minutes before midnight on Saturday, December 8. She was lying on her back in the recess which led to garage doors. She had been 200 yards from home.
Searching desperately for her after alerting police she was missing, Christine had walked past the entrance to the alley where Lisa lay three times.
Three days after the murder police revealed three young women had been the victims of sex attacks in the previous four months within a mile of the location where Lisa was murdered. Chillingly, the attacker had threatened to kill the women during the assaults. One incident had been the day before Lisa was killed.
The possibility that the same man was responsible for all four attacks - and a fifth in May 1985 on Buck Street - the last place where Lisa was seen alive - remains. But the instinct of locals is that it may have been someone who knew her.
Ryan Daly, who has seen the Facebook page he set up seeking justice for Lisa grow rapidly in the last 12 months, said: "I personally think the killer was someone who knew Lisa, someone who was infatuated with her, and obsessed with her.
"Maybe he was a young lad at the time, and I think he’s probably been shielded by a close family member, or a close friend, and he has gone about his everyday life acting normal.
"I think it’s a very important thing that the tree is replanted at Bedford High. It is important especially Lisa’s classmates who planted it in 1985. I have faith that one day we will know who the man is responsible for Lisa Hession's murder.
"The town of Leigh just want closure and want to know the identify of the killer. It’s been going on 38 years this now.
"Since I started raising awareness about this on my own in 2016, I was determined that Lisa’s case wasn’t forgotten about, and using social media was the correct way to get the message across. After Lisa’s mum Christine Hession passed away I felt it was important that this town doesn’t forget this case.
"Although I wasn’t born until 1990, this case was something I was well aware from being a child, hearing what had happened and I remember the case being reopened in 2004 when I myself was 14. Since November 2017, me and (Lisa's friend) Andrea have worked together and then created the group.
"The group has over 2,300 members now. It’s come a long way from us having a few hundred when the group began. The support we have had has been amazing. I still think Lisa’s killer is a local man who knew her and someone she trusted. I still he was close to that estate and would know the routes on the estate to escape into the night without being seen."
At an inquest into Lisa's death in April 1985, pathologist Dr Geoffrey Garrett said her death had been caused by pressure on her neck, consistent with her T-shirt being tightened around her throat. Her skirt was pulled up around her waist and her underwear was ripped.
It was believed the killer pulled the T-shirt tight with one hand and had his other over Lisa's mouth. The coroner, Mr David Blakey, recorded a verdict of unlawful killing but observed that the attacker may not have intended to kill Lisa.
Lisa was 14 years 8 months old when she died. Her mother died in January 2016 without ever seeing justice for her only child. In almost four decades since the killing, just one person has been arrested on suspicion of her murder - and he is now dead.
The suspect was quizzed within days of Lisa’s death. He was released on bail and eventually no further action was taken against him.
A £50,000 reward remains for information leading to the identity and conviction of Lisa's killer. Martin Bottomley, head of GMP's Cold Case Unit, said: "This case will never be closed and we are determined to get justice for Lisa's family, even though her mother has now died."
He added: "My gut instinct is that the person who murdered Lisa must have been local, must have known the area, and must have known this back entry ginnel that afforded some degree of seclusion for him to drag Lisa down and murder her. Our efforts to find out who killed Lisa and bring them to justice will never cease. This is a case which is still subject to regular reviews and we will always act on new evidence or information which will lead to a successful outcome.
"I am convinced someone knows who attacked Lisa and left her for dead and they should do the right thing and get in touch, via Crimestoppers or the Cold Case Unit."
Anyone with information can call GMP's Cold Case Unit on 0161 856 5978
READ MORE:
- The shadow over a small town: Who killed Lisa Hession, and why?
- A maniac on the loose? The twist and turns in the tragic case of Lisa Hession
- We've turned detective to solve the case of Lisa Hession
- The breakthrough that could finally get justice for tragic Lisa Hession
- My best friend Lisa Hession was killed yards from my front door
