YORKSHIRE Ripper Peter Sutcliffe could at last face charges regarding an attack at Silsden more than four decades ago.

The serial killer – who was arrested in 1981 and later jailed for life for 13 murders – has always been linked to the horrific assault on a teenager in the town in August 1975.

He later even allegedly admitted the attack to former West Yorkshire Chief Constable, Keith Hellawell.

Now detectives have confirmed they are conducting a 'cold case' review of assaults on women from the late 1970s and 1980s, for which no-one has ever been charged.

Tracy Browne, then 14, was attacked with a hammer as she walked home along Bradley Road in Silsden one evening.

Her attacker – disturbed by an approaching car – dumped her over a fence and ran away, leaving her bleeding and barely conscious.

West Yorkshire Police have taken statements and DNA samples from women, who may have been attacked by Sutcliffe, who is now 69.

A spokesman said: "We are continuing with an ongoing process to review non-recent undetected offences, in conjunction with the Home Office under the requirements of the Public Records Act.

"As part of this review, officers have begun to visit a small number of people named as victims of then unsolved assaults and other offences in cases submitted to West Yorkshire Police as part of reviews carried out in the early 1980s.

"Officers also took the opportunity to review any statements held, ask for any further information and also took DNA samples. This is standard procedure in unsolved cases which predate the invention of DNA profiling.

"Should any new lines of enquiry be identified, they will be comprehensively pursued."