A £10,000 award is on offer for information in the hunt for the killer of Shona Stevens as police appeal to a national audience this morning on BBC Crimewatch Live.

Detectives from Police Scotland need the public’s help with the 27-year-old cold case where Shona was found badly beaten just 200 yards from her front door in Irvine in November 1994 after sustaining serious head injuries, dying in hospital days later.

On the programme at 10am on BBC One, officers will appeal for viewers’ help with an unusual object found at the crime scene which could hold the key to finding Shona’s killer: a novelty keyring. Detectives believe there is a chance it could’ve been left behind by the perpetrator.

Detective Inspector Fraser Normansell from Police Scotland has painstakingly re-examined every piece of evidence and more than 2,000 witness statements to find new lines of investigation.

He says in the appeal film, “Something that seemed insignificant 27 years ago could be hugely significant now. These cases can flip on the smallest of details, and I’m determined to bring the offender to justice.”

Mick Duthie, Director of Operations at the charity Crimestoppers, said:

“This is such a sad case of the brutal murder of a young mum who was making her way home from a local store. The motive is still unknown. It may be that you had suspicions or even knew what happened all those years ago, but were either too scared or for other reasons, failed to come forward.

“Our charity supports police by passing on anonymous information we receive that helps keep people and communities safe from harm. We are urgently appealing for anyone who knows or suspects who was behind this truly awful murder to do the right thing. We are offering £10,000 for information given exclusively and anonymously to us that leads to the conviction of whoever was responsible.

“Shona’s murder left a daughter without a mother - her family and friends are still waiting and deserve to see justice happen. We know it’s difficult to speak up about crime, especially if it’s about someone close to home. Since we began in the late 1980s, our charity has always kept its cast-iron guarantee to the hundreds of thousands of Scots who have trusted us with their anonymous information over the decades.

“Please help us to protect the community and see justice served by telling us completely anonymously what you know. You can talk to us by calling our UK Contact Centre which is open 24/7 on freephone 0800 555 111 or you can use our easy and secure anonymous online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.

Members of the public with information are asked to email cwl@bbc.co.uk, to call 101 and speak to Police Scotland, or to anonymously report it to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.