IT was 25 years ago this week that a nationwide manhunt for a cold blooded police killer ended in Barnsley.

Murderer Tony Hughes killed himself in the garage of the Catholic priest at St Joseph's Church in Kendray.

Armed police had surrounded the presbytery, church and school complex in Doncaster Road after staff at the school became suspicious when a leather-clad motorcyclist arrived asking for Father Maurice Keenan.

Having heard news bulletins about the fatal shooting of a police inspector and wounding of a police sergeant by a motorcyclist at a motorway service station on the M62, they contacted the police when they saw the motorcyclist pushing his machine into the small brick-built garage.Within minutes police surrounded the area and around 100 nursery and infant school children were evacuated and led to a nearby car showroom. Armed officers surrounded the site.

Shortly after 1pm the sound of a single shot rang out. When officers entered the garage they found Hughes' body.

This week there is no sign of the church or school on the site where there are now houses and a car wash. In Greater Manchester a memorial service was held to mark the 25th anniversary of the death of 49-year-old police inspector Ray Codling.

The father-of-five was shot in the chest with a hand gun by convicted armed robber Hughes, then shot again in the eye, as he lay wounded and defenceless on the ground. His colleague Sgt Jim Bowden was shot in the leg, but survived.

Hughes, from Baguley, Manchester, who had spent 15 years in jail for a series of violence offences, shot himself dead less than 12 hours later.Two grandsons of Insp Codling, Hayden and Jake Healey, are now training to join Greater Manchester Police in his memory.

They talked at a special memorial service at Birch Services on the M62 where a plaque in memory of Insp Ray Codling now stands.