Friends hold candlelit vigil for murder victim Betty Yates

More than 80 ex-pupils and friends gathered for a candlelit vigil to pay their respects to a much-loved teacher stabbed to death at her secluded home in Worcestershire.

Retired Betty Yates, 77, died of a single knife wound after being attacked at her cottage, off Dowles Road, in Bewdley. A murder investigation has now been launched by police who are looking at the theory she was killed last week while fending off burglars at her home.

Detectives have also revealed they are trying to track down someone who may have posted clues on Facebook.

Crowds gathered along a bridge next to the dirt track leading to Mrs Yates' cottage as the vigil began at 4pm yesterday.

Some wept openly as candles were lit in memory of the retired teacher, who had worked at St John C of E Middle School, in Blakebrook, Kidderminster, for many years before retiring in 1999.

Others stood in silence as a mark of respect and many wrote messages on two books of condolence brought along by former pupils who organised the event. Flowers were also laid.

Ex-pupil Verity Worthington, 29, of St John's Avenue, Kidderminster, first suggested the gathering on a Facebook page set up in memory of the Mrs Yates following the tragedy. And the charity worker said the turn-out had been "amazing" and a fitting tribute to a dedicated teacher who had changed the lives of hundreds of pupils.

Mrs Yates was class tutor for Verity's class at St John's back in 1992 and she had only recently become re-acquainted with her former teacher. "I was out walking my dog along the River Severn back in November and she was walking the other way.

We got talking and arranged to meet for a coffee which we did," she said. "It was great seeing her again. Her loss is a tragedy. She was an inspiring teacher who went the extra mile and was really before her time."

She said one of the fondest memories of her former teacher was the cherry picking walks she used to take them on.

Verity's cousin Charlotte Mayall, also 29, of Sculthorpe Road, Blakedown, was in the same class "She was an incredibly kind person and really loved the children she taught. I remember all of the extra-curricular things she used to teach us," she said. As part of their inquiry, detectives are looking to trace the author of a message posted on the a Facebook site.

The message, which was taken down before officers were aware of it, suggests knowledge of events surrounding the death of Mrs Yates. The message read: "She wasnt meant 2 b home, the lad panikd and stabd her cus she told off 4 bein in her house. It was meant 2 b a clean sweep but she was home, she didn't stand chance."