Peter quickly returned with a black cloth cap, which he handed to Jane. Jane remembered that Kingston had spoken to Fiona Simpson, who’d said the driver of the getaway car was wearing a grey cloth cap.

‘Was it black like this one?’

Rita shook her head. ‘No, it was grey.’

Peter took the cap from Jane.

‘This isn’t a flat cap, it’s called a newsboy cap. They both have the same overall shape and stiff peak in front, but the newsboy is rounder and made up of six or eight triangle-style panels with a cloth button on top.’

He pointed out the differences to Jane as he spoke.

‘And you’re sure it was a cap like this?’ she asked Rita.

‘Yes, Peter’s got some other style flat caps as well, that’s how I know the difference.’

‘This is really helpful, Mrs Brown. Is there anything you can remember about the smaller man’s facial features?’

‘No, like I said I only got a quick look at them, but I think the taller man had dark blond or brown hair.’

‘How long was it?’

‘Above his jacket collar, I think.’

Jane told Rita she’d like to go over the details of the men she saw in Blake Hall Road when she got off the bus, then read out what the uniformed sergeant had written on the house-to-house form.

‘You were on the opposite side of the road and only saw them from behind. They were both white men, about five foot eight to five foot ten in height, one had dark hair and the other lighter coloured hair. Both were smartly dressed in casual clothes and the one who had a green jacket was carrying a black holdall.’

Rita agreed that what the sergeant had written was correct.

‘The one with the holdall, can you describe his clothing in any more detail?’

Rita thought about it before answering. ‘His jacket was thigh-length and dark green, like the ones posh people wear, and his trousers were grey.’

‘When you say like posh people wear – what do you mean, exactly?’

‘Like the ones that Audrey fforbes-Hamilton and Richard DeVere wear in that TV show.’

Peter sighed. ‘She’s talking about To the Manor Born with Penelope Keith and Peter Bowles.’

Jane had watched the comedy show a couple of times.

‘Do you mean a green waxed Barbour jacket?’

‘Yes, that’s what they call them – Prince Philip and Charles wear them as well.’

‘You also told the sergeant that you thought one of them was smoking a cigar – how sure are you of that?’

‘It was definitely a cigar,’ she replied without hesitation. ‘I saw the thick smoke and could smell it when I crossed the road from the bus stop.’

‘Did you actually see either of them holding a cigar?’

‘No, but when I worked as a secretary my boss smoked cigars, so I know the smell.’

‘Can you describe the other man’s clothing?’