A senior Strathclyde detective yesterday appealed to potential witnesses to help identify the man who murdered 31-year-old Shona Stevens, of Irvine, five years ago, writes James Freeman Home Affairs Correspondent.

Shona's body was found in undergrowth in Bourtreehill Park, Irvine, on November 10, 1994.

She had set off from her home in Alder Green, Middleton Park, Irvine, to go to the shops at Bourtreehill Village, using the route she always used through the park. At 1.07pm, she left with Co-op shop with a can of Guinness and made her way home, retracing her steps into the park. Around 1.10pm, an elderly man left the bookmaker's next to the shop and walked up the same path a short distance behind Shona.

Ten minutes later, he found her seriously assaulted. She was airlifted to the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow, but never regained consciousness and died on November 13, 1994.

No-one has ever been arrested for the murder.

Detective Superintendent Bob Lauder, the senior officer in the inquiry, said yesterday: ''Although five years have passed since the brutal murder of Shona, we will never give up in our efforts to track down the person responsible.''

He detailed three witnesses, the first a man walking his Dobermann dog. He was between 30-35, about 5ft 6in, medium build, wearing a brown jacket, trousers and a hat. The second man was seen entering the park on a bicycle. He was between 30-40, thin build with very sharp features, brown wispy hair, balding at temples. He was wearing a blue tracksuit top.

The third man was 35-40, 5ft 8in, slim to medium build with fair blond collar-length hair.

''These witnesses must know who they are and for some reason have never come forward. I would urge them to do so now,'' said Mr Lauder.