The mother of an insurance worker who was murdered in a shocking case in which the killer was never found has left behind a legacy of hope in her local community.
Molly Long’s daughter, Susan Long, was just 18 when her body was discovered by a milkman in Aylsham, Norwich, in 1970.
She had been sexually assaulted and strangled, but her murderer was never found despite a full-scale police investigation.
For over 40 years, Long’s mother endured regular publicity about her daughter’s death and the ongoing investigation, but died without an answer – despite fresh hopes amid advancing DNA technology.
However, Mrs Long left behind nearly £70,000 – almost her entire estate – to her local Aylsham Parish Church, which has used the generous gift to build a two-storey community room dedicated to her.
Mrs Long, who died at the age of 88 in 2014, was christened and married in the church, and also had her daughter, Susan, baptised there.
Now, the community room she helped to fund has been named in honour of her.
The Molly Long Community Room will be in daily use from the end of this month ‘for everything from toddler groups to Aylsham’s Food Bank, choir practice, an after-school club’ – and Aylsham vicar Rev Canon Andrew Beane is also hoping it will be used by singers this Christmas,
Eastern Daily Press reports.
Beane, who spoke at Mrs Long’s funeral, described her as a “caring, faithful, inspiring woman.”
Speaking of the new community room, he said: “I think Molly, who loved children, would be overjoyed to know what has been done with her money, and to know that this is the way her family’s name will always be remembered.”
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