On the night of Saturday, 9th July, 1977, the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe left his wife, Sonia, at home in Tanton Crescent and drove off in his white Ford Corsair. Sutcliffe headed in the direction of Lumb Lane, which was in the red-light district of Bradford.

Maureen Long was living with an 'occasional' partner in Farsley, Leeds. Maureen Long had never been a prostitute - she was a 42-year-old mother. She was separated from her husband but they remained on good terms.