A £20,000 reward for information has been posted by police on the 20th anniversary of the unsolved murder of Julie Finley.

The 23-year-old's body was discovered by a cyclist in a carrot field off the St Helens-bound carriageway of the Rainford bypass on Saturday, August 6, 1994. She had been strangled.

Julie’s mum Pat, 69, and dad Albie, 70, are desperate to find some closure following her murder.

To coincide with the anniversary they have released poignant family images of Julie as a young girl.

Pat said: “Albie and I have been put through 20 years of hell and torment and Julie’s sudden and tragic loss has affected the whole family.

“Our lives have never been the same since and we desperately hope that someone out there will understand our grief and pain and come forward so that we can begin to understand what happened to Julie.

"We are pleading to anyone who has information which could help us get the justice our daughter deserves to speak to the police."

The last confirmed sighting of Liverpool-born Julie was at 11pm on Friday, August 5, 1994 speaking to a man close to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

One witness said they saw a young woman matching Julie’s description arguing with a man at 12.30am on Saturday, August 6 outside the Wheatsheaf pub in Rainford around 50 yards from where her body was found.

The man was said to have been trying to force the woman into the back of a white transit van.

Detective Superintendent Tim Keelan said: "This family can't rest until they have seen justice done.

"We are as determined as ever to find those, responsible and are offering a £20,000 reward for information leading to their arrest and conviction.

"We are still keen to speak to a friend of Julie, called Tina, who contacted the investigation team shortly after the murder. Tina told officers that on the night of the murder Julie had said she was going to meet a taxi driver from Prescot.

“Tina promised to recall the officers but never phoned back. I would appeal to Tina to search her conscience and contact us, as she could have vital information which could help Julie's family in their fight for justice to be done."

Contact the Major Incident Team on 0151 777 8629 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.