'I visited Fred and Rose West's house - one thing haunted me in my sleep'

One of the few people to visit and home after their brutal murders has shared her horror upon stepping inside the infamous property.

Widely regarded as two of the country's most , it took years before the of the husband and wife were finally laid bare.

It was only as a result of a chance conversation between some of the couple's children that their heinous crimes finally came to light. It was reported that some of the Wests' children, while they had been placed in social care, told care workers that Fred would often say to them: "If you’re naughty, you’ll end up like Heather, under the patio in the back garden."

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It was after hearing of this that the police would obtain a search warrant of their family home in Cromwell Street, Gloucester. After days of digging, they not only found the remains of Heather, but also the bones of several other victims.

In the weeks, months, and years that followed, the true scale of their crimes would be uncovered. With Fred West later admitting to a number of murders, he was later asked by police to personally show them where he had buried his victims with several bodies found in his garden as well as even more being hidden away underneath his basement floor.

Alongside Gloucestershire police on those visits was Fred's 'appropriate adult', Janet Leach who had been working as a social worker. Acting as West's appropriate adult, Janet was required to attend police interviews alongside him, as he was deemed to be vulnerable due to his learning difficulties and inability to read or write.

According to the government website, the appropriate adult’s role is to "safeguard the child or vulnerable person’s interests. This includes their rights, entitlements, and welfare".

In the latest documentary to be released on the couple's crimes, Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story, viewers watched on as Janet recalled the moment that she became one of the very few people to venture into the couple's basement after their crimes had been committed.

Janet could be seen watching on as Fred West tried to show police where he had buried some of his victims, she shared the lasting impact of bearing witness to the surreal ordeal: "It was awful, I could smell it."

And she couldn't escape the ghastly odour when she returned home later that day, with it still playing on her mind as she tried to sleep: "When I went to sleep at night, I could smell it."

Now over three decades since their crimes were uncovered, Fred West would not go on to stand trial for his murders, having committed suicide whilst in his cell. However, Rose was later found guilty of murdering 10 young girls and women and will never be released from prison.

Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story is available to stream now on Netflix.