Three people were cleared of Julie Ward's murder

Suffolk hotelier John Ward, 70, has spent hundreds of thousands of pounds trying to uncover the truth about the death of his daughter in the Masai Mara game reserve in Kenya in 1988.

Three men were eventually tried for her murder but all were acquitted.

Mr Ward now hopes that the new government in Kenya and an investigation by Lincolnshire Police will unravel the mystery of his 28-year-old daughter's death.

"My over-riding emotion now is where have the last 15 years gone? It's gone so quickly, it's frightening," he said.

Now we have a government (in Kenya) anxious to re-open some of the old cases, including Julie's John Ward

"I was 70 this year and thankfully I am well but I can't do the things I could 15 years ago.

"But I will keep going whilst there is a possibility of being able to explain who did it.

"That possibility is better now than at any time in the past 15 years.

Burnt remains found

"Before I was always up against a hostile Kenyan Government.

"Now we have a government anxious to re-open some of the old cases, including Julie's."

Ms Ward, from Brockley Green, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, was last seen alive at a campsite near the Tanzanian border in September 1988 on a trip to photograph wildlife.

Her jeep was found in the Masai Mara game reserve a week later with SOS written in mud on its roof.

Her burnt remains were found a week later.

Call for Hutton-like inquiry

Mr Ward has been fighting to bring his daughter's killers to justice ever since.

Two park rangers and a chief game warden have stood trial for her murder but all were acquitted.

An independent team from Lincolnshire police is scrutinising the original Scotland Yard investigation into Julie's death.

Mr Ward said: "The report by Lincolnshire Police is due to be completed by the end of the year, but I feel it will still leave a number of questions unanswered.

"What it really needs is a Hutton-like inquiry. The truth is there to be had."