Two women cleared of gunning down a millionaire on his doorstep are demanding an apology from Sussex Police.

Richard Watson, 55, was murdered outside his luxury five-bedroom home in East Grinstead in December 1996.

His widow Linda, a 43-year-old former beauty queen, and her daughter Amanda Williams-Gater, 24, were charged six months after the death with murdering Watson with the aid of an unknown third person.

The pair, who protested their innocence, were later cleared of any involvement when the case was dropped before the start of proceedings at the Old Bailey.

They are appearing on the BBC's Southern Eye programme tonight to shed light on the brutal doorstep murder and are calling for an apology from Sussex Police for being charged with Watson's murder.

In the programme, step-daughter Mrs Williams-Gater says she has lost all faith in Sussex Police.

She said: "You either sink or you swim and I chose to swim. My dad doesn't have an option any more, his life has been taken, but I refuse to let Sussex Police completely and utterly destroy my relationships with my mum and my family."

Many of the women's complaints about the original investigation were upheld by the Police Complaints Authority last year.

They had threatened to sue Sussex Police, but they have now decided to apply for compensation from the Home Office.

The police have been reinvestigating the murder for the past 19 months, but so far the women have declined to be interviewed.

The Watson murder inquiry, known as Operation Canasta, was complicated by the businessman's worldwide dealings.

His firm had an annual turnover of £1.2 million and it was rumoured he may have been killed by the Russian mafia.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Dennis said: "Our aim is to find who killed Richard Watson. That investigation is active and continuing.

"To assist it we would very much like to open a dialogue with Mrs Watson and her daughter, Mrs Williams-Gater.

"Unfortunately, whenever we try to speak to them they tell us that the experience is too stressful for them.

"In the light of this it is frustrating that they still continue to give media interviews."

Mrs Watson and Mrs Williams-Gater will be appearing on Southern Eye tonight on BBC2 at 7.30pm.