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A mum is desperately hoping DNA tests on her murdered daughter’s clothing will finally help catch her killer after almost 22 years.

Sharon Henderson is clinging to the hope that a breakthrough into the death of Nikki Allan will be made to “put an end to my torture”.

It comes after a heartbreaking few months for the mum who had her hopes repeatedly raised only to see them left shattered after new leads into the seven-year-old’s death came to nothing.

Today, just 24 hours after Nikki should have been celebrating her 29th birthday, Sharon, 47, vowed she would never give up until she finally gets justice for her little girl.

She said: “I’m waiting for DNA results from Nikki’s clothing and her shoes.

“These are the most up-to-date tests they can do so all I can do is hope that something comes back from them.

“I had hoped to be getting the results in July but I’m still waiting, desperately waiting, to hear something.”

Should the tests fail to give police the evidence they so desperately need to solve what is one of Sunderland’s longest running unsolved murders, Sharon says she is prepared to consider other avenues.

She added: “If there is nothing from the tests then I have thought about going down a road similar to Stephen Lawrence’s family and enlisting some private help.

“Obviously that would take a lot of money and I would have to get that before anything would be able to happen.”

Earlier this year, Northumbria Police arrested Sunderland man Steven Grieveson, 47, on suspicion of Nikki’s murder. He was questioned and bailed but detectives later said his bail had been cancelled and he has faced no further current action.

It has been a painful few months for Sharon who had hoped the arrest might eventually lead to answers for many of the questions she still has.

She said: “I really thought the arrest earlier this year might have been a breakthrough, but all my hopes have fallen apart.

“At the minute I just feel really frustrated because it seems I’m no further forward.

“Like anyone in my situation, I just want to grieve but I’m not able to do that.”

Nikki vanished after leaving her grandparents’ flat in Wear Garth, East End, on October 7, 1992.

Her shoes were discovered outside the derelict Exchange building a few hundred yards away the next morning.

Her body was found inside the building by a neighbour helping police with the search.

She had been left lying in a pool of blood. She had been stabbed 37 times in the chest.

Despite repeated pleas for information, no one has ever been convicted of the crime.

Last year saw a resurgence of activity in the case after a Crimewatch reconstruction was shown on TV to mark the 21st anniversary of Nikki’s death.

Following the screening of the BBC programme, Northumbria Police detectives revealed they were investigating a series of new leads.

But these appear to have come to nothing.

Sharon added: “I’ve heard nothing back from the Crimewatch programme either.”

In 1993, George Heron, 24 at the time, was acquitted of Nikki’s murder by a jury at Leeds Crown Court in 1993.

Mr Justice Mitchell refused to allow certain tape recordings of Northumbria Police interviews with Mr Heron to be put before the jury. Consequently, the jury did not hear his admission on one recording that he killed Nikki.

The judge ruled that the evidence was inadmissible and criticised the police for ‘oppressive questioning’ and of misrepresenting evidence, charges the force denied.

Mr Heron later left the Sunderland area following a series of threats.

Sharon brought a civil case against him in 1994 charging him with “battery on the child, resulting in her death.”

The court found in her favour and ordered Mr Heron to pay over £7,000, but he could not be traced and the money was never paid.

Sharon said: “Yesterday would have been Nikki’s birthday. I just marked it quietly because I have so much on my mind at the minute. I only hope the next year brings some answers.”

Northumbria Police said today: “Investigations into this case are continuing which includes a review of DNA evidence.”

•Anyone who thinks they have information that could help detectives with inquiries is asked to contact police on 101 ext 69191.