A MURDER detective wants to trace a man who left a telephone message claiming he had information about a murder in Banbury eight years ago.

Father-of-two Kevin Lavelle, from Merseyside, was killed after an attack in the Cricketer’s Arms pub in Grimsbury on the evening England played Portugal in the Euro 2004 football championship in June 2004.

And detectives visited South Wales on Friday, December 21, to appeal again for information as there were people from the Pontypridd area staying at the pub at the time of the murder.

Following the new appeal Det Inp Steve Duffy received a call on his mobile phone on Saturday morning.

Mr Duffy said: “I received a phone call on Saturday morning from a man with a heavy Welsh accent who said he had information about the murder of Kevin Lavelle. The phone call came from the Rhonda area of Wales.

“I would urge this man to call me back as soon as possible as he did not leave any contact details.”

He added: “It has been eight years since Kevin Lavelle was murdered and his family desperately want and deserve justice.”

Thames Valley Police has a £20,000 reward on offer for the conviction of those responsible for this murder.

In 2009 a coroner recorded a verdict of unlawful killing following an inquest into the death of 29-year-old.

The inquest heard there had been a series of altercations between Mr Lavelle and a group of Welshmen staying in bed-and-breakfast at the Cricketers’ Arms.

They culminated in Mr Lavelle being fatally struck over the head with his own dumbbell bar.

Anyone with information should call Mr Duffy at Thames Valley Police directly on 07800 703285 or contact the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org