Mary Bastholm search: former Kent reporter was 'last to see' Fred West 'victim'
10:32, 19 May 2021
updated: 16:46, 19 May 2021
A former Kent journalist believes he may have been the last person to see a teenager alive before she was taken by serial killer Fred West.
Alan Watkins has spoken out as police in Gloucester carry out excavation work at a cafe in the city.
They are looking for the remains of Mary Bastholm who went missing in 1968.
Retired reporter Mr Watkins witnessed the 15-year-old waiting at a bus stop before being picked up and driven away in a grey van.
The 74-year-old, who worked for a news agency and the Gloucester Citizen, told a senior police officer what he had seen the next day at a press conference in which an appeal was launched for the missing waitress.
But he says his information, although described by the inspector as "very interesting", was not followed up.
Officers are now searching the cellar of The Clean Plate cafe where Mary used to work and West frequented.
Speaking from his Rainham home, Mr Watkins said: "Looking back, it makes me angry.
"I assumed the information I gave would be processed through the normal channels."
As a reporter Mr Watkins covered the horrific Fred West case and visited Mary's parents, who have since passed away.
He said: "They were lovely people. I feel angry they died not knowing, and not being able to mourn because they did not now what happened to their daughter.
"I think police owed it to them to follow up my information."
On the night in question, he had been waiting for a bus when he noticed the young girl at the stop opposite before the van pulled up to her.
He said: "I was aware that she was there because it was unusual to see somebody at that bus stop at that time of night. But I didn't really take much notice.
"I saw that she was talking to somebody inside the van. I couldn't tell if there was more than one person, or if it was a man or woman. The next thing, she was gone and my bus arrived."
Mary's disappearance has remained a mystery for more than five decades, although there has been speculation she may have been one of West's victims.
Detectives have been searching the cafe for more than a week after a TV crew filming a documentary uncovered "possible evidence of her remains".
Fragments of her coat may have been found. The macabre crimes of Fred and Rose West came to light in 1994 when police found numerous bodies buried at their home in Cromwell Street, Gloucester.
Fred West committed suicide while awaiting trial over 12 murders. Rose West is serving life for 10 murders.
Before his retirement, Mr Watkins worked for the Medway Messenger.
