WITNESSES shielding the killer of a young hospital worker whose bones were found dumped beside a motorway were urged last night to break a 13-year silence.

Melanie Hall, 25, was last seen alive enjoying a night out in June, 1996. But this week her remains were found near the M5 by a workman clearing vegetation.

The graduate’s parents, Pat and Steve Hall, spoke of their “untold anguish” yesterday after police confirmed that bones found beneath five bags on a sliproad near Bristol were those of their daughter.

Speaking at Bath Police Station Mr Hall, 65, from Bradford-on-Avon and an ex-chairman of football club Bath City, said he needed to know how his “vibrant” daughter became a “bag of bones”. He said the killer was probably watching and urged the public to help.

He said: “People out there know, they’ve lived with that secret for 13 years – now I’m appealing for the person who knows to come forward.

“We desperately need to know what happened to Melanie on the night she left the nightclub in Bath. Watching this interview, probably, will be the person or persons involved in Melanie’s murder – if not, people who know of the people involved.

“Someone may have a good idea that something may not be right. I’m hoping that now her body has been found they find that change of heart or strength of will to come forward.”

The psychology graduate had been on a night out with friends and her boyfriend of three weeks, Dr Philip Karlbaum, who left Cadillacs nightclub, in Walcot Street, “upset” after seeing her dancing with another man.

Miss Hall, who worked as a clerical officer in the orthopaedic department at Bath’s Royal United Hospital where she met Dr Karlbaum, was last seen sitting on a stool near the dance-floor shortly after 1am.

Thousands of nightclubbers and taxi drivers were interviewed in an investigation involving 60 officers.