DAVID Williamson went for a drink at the Star Inn at Huby and was not seen alive again. Any violent death is profoundly shocking, particularly in a county where murders are mercifully rare. But the mysterious circumstances of Mr Williamson's death, and the poor public response to the police investigation, make this an even more unsettling case.

It took several days to establish for certain that this was a murder at all; at first police were unsure as to whether he had died in an accident. Two months on, and much about the murder remains shrouded in uncertainty.

Detectives, no nearer to knowing precisely what killed Mr Williamson, are hoping the forensic scientists at Guy's Hospital in London may help to identify the weapon.

The police's thorough inquiries have included questioning motorists on the road where the body was found. But still they remain without clear leads.

To solve any crime, detectives rely on the help of the public. In the case of a crime as dreadful as this, they would expect the local community to be doing all it could to assist their inquiries.

Yet the investigation is being held back by what the officer leading it described as a "surprising" lack of information from villagers.

Huby and Sutton-on-the-Forest are small, close-knit communities. People know one another's business. It is hard to believe that no one there has seen or heard anything that might be useful to the police.

The murderer, or anyone who knows something about this crime, could not help but act strangely. Villagers and regular visitors to the area may have suspicions but are not sure if these are strong enough to take to the police.

It is imperative that they overcome their doubts and tell all. Mr Williamson was described as "a loving, kind and gentle man". He was brutally killed. Anyone who knows something and does nothing is helping the murderer to get away with it.

Updated: 10:44 Wednesday, May 23, 2001