Fred West’s home, now known as the “House of Horrors”, was close to the cafe in Gloucester that is now being excavated.

Here is a map detailing the scene where police are beginning to excavate.

Rose West’s ex-lawyer, Leo Goatley is down at the scene in Gloucester city centre this morning giving interviews to news cameras outside The Clean Plate cafe.

Mr Goatley represented West, one of the most notorious women criminals in British history, from 1992 to 2004.

“I hope something is discovered that will bring closure either to the Bastholms or some other family,” he told ITV.

Mr Goatley now owns Leo Goatley MA Fine Art, a print shop in Gloucester.

Fred West’s son, Stephen, has been contacted by police searching for clues regarding the disappearance of Mary Bastholm.

West is said to have confessed to killing Mary in conversation with his son but never admitted it to police.

Detectives have recently spoken to the younger West, Detective Chief Inspector John Turner said.

“There is no evidence at this time to link Fred West with Mary’s disappearance although he did tell his son Steve West just before he died that he had murdered Mary,” he said.

Detective Chief Inspector John Turner, who is leading the investigation, said West was a regular at the cafe where digging is taking place – then called the Pop-In – and knew Mary Bastholm as she worked there as a waitress.

“Fred West was always indicated as being involved in Mary’s disappearance and possibly her death,” Mr Turner said.

“We will be searching the basement to find out what, if anything, is there. If anything is found we will carry out a forensic review and we will look to seek people within the investigation that we need to interview.

“If Fred were alive, undoubtedly he would be interviewed around the disappearance of Mary.

“He is the only one who really knows if he had involvement in Mary’s death.”

Forensic archaeologists have been undertaking exploratory work at the Clean Plate cafe in the city’s Southgate Street in connection with the disappearance of Mary Bastholm.

So what do we know so far?

Bastholm was 15-years-old when she disappeared in January 1968. She was last seen alive waiting at a bus stop on Gloucester’s Bristol Road.

She worked at the Clean Plate at the time – the place where West’s first known victim, Anne McFall, was also employed.

Read more about Bastholm’s disappearance here:

Police are preparing to start digging work beneath a Gloucester cafe in the hunt for a suspected victim of serial killer Fred West, after finding possible evidence that she may be buried there.

Excavations will begin on Wednesday at the Clean Plate cafe in Southgate Street, where detectives’ probe will focus on “six voids” discovered in the floor of the cellar.

Police have confirmed they are searching the premises in connection with the disappearance of 15-year-old Mary Bastholm, who was last seen less than two miles away at a bus stop on Bristol Road in January 1968.

Here is the full story from our reporter Chiara Giordano, who is at the scene in Gloucester:

Hello and welcome to The Independent’s rolling coverage of the police search for Mary Bastholm, a suspected victim of the serial killer Fred West.