'Babes in the Wood' murder suspect Russell Bishop plans to return to Brighton on his release from prison.

Bishop, 36 - who was cleared of the killings of Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway but jailed for life for a sex attack on another schoolgirl - is expected to be freed next month after 13 years behind bars.

Family members of the two girls today said they were "sickened" at the possibility of Bishop, described by a judge as a danger to children, returning to the city.

Nicola's uncle, Nigel Heffron, 49, said: "No member of my family wants him to live within 50 miles of us. It's sick that he is thinking of coming back."

Bishop's imminent release has prompted heightened calls for the investigation into the 1986 murders in Wild Park, Brighton, to be reopened.

Key forensic evidence was withheld from jurors in his trial because of a series of mistakes by the prosecution team.

A bill proposing to scrap the 800-year-old "double jeopardy" rule, which means people cannot be tried for the same crime twice, has been given Royal Assent.

It means Bishop could be recharged with the killings if police believe they have significant new evidence.

Mr Heffron, who lives in Brighton, said: "We want the police to really reinvestigate the case strongly - go back to it, speak to my family.

"We have not yet been approached by the police as to what we have found, what we have done."

Nigel's brother, Ian Heffron, 48, a retired police officer, said Bishop's return to Brighton would be "insensitive."

He said: "The judge at the time said he was a danger to children. He is still a danger. He is still more than capable of harming children."

Karen's mother, Michelle Johnson, 45, said: "Someone killed our children and no one has ever been jailed for it. Police must properly reopen the case."

The new evidence which could lead to a retrial includes six witness statements never presented to the jury and a receipt from a catalogue company for a sweatshirt forensically linked to the girls.

Sussex Police are reviewing evidence but a spokeswoman said she could not comment on individual cases.

Bishop, who has always denied any involvement in the killings, has been serving his sentence in York prison after being convicted of the kidnap, sex attack and attempted murder of a seven-year-old in 1990.