A POTENTIAL crucial witness has come forward after BBC One's Crimewatch featured the Rhys Jones murder case for a second time.

The witness, who said he was in the car park on the Fir Tree pub in Croxteth, Liverpool, when the 11-year-old was shot on August 22 , was last night interviewed by detectives. They said they are now pursuing new lines of inquiry following numerous calls to the show.

The show renewed its appeal for a woman in a red car to come forward as detectives believe she may have seen the killer.

The last appeal prompted 30 calls, 12 giving the same name for the gunman.

Police have made 18 arrests, but still nobody has been charged over the shooting.

Last night a Merseyside Police spokesman said: “Again we have received a positive response from the public and will be following up all new lines of inquiry and have interviewed new witnesses.

“We have now been in touch with all the people who rang the show.”

Police are also seeking another potential witness, a boy of 13 or 14 who was outside the Fir Tree pub about 15 minutes before the murder.

The boy, who was riding a silver BMX bike, also attended a vigil at Croxteth Country Park on Sunday September 2.

He had fair hair and was wearing a white T-shirt and grey trousers.

ANYONE who might have information, who has not yet come forward, is asked to call the police Major Incident Room on 0151 777 8722 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.