EVEN 18 years on, the pain and anguish is etched deeply on Marie McCourt's face.

Her much-loved daughter, Helen, was brutally killed on her way home from work by the landlord of her local pub.

It was the beginning of a never-ending nightmare because the 22-year-old's body has still not been found.

Thanks to overwhelming forensic evidence, the landlord, Ian Simms, was tried and convicted of her murder 12 months after she disappeared.

Marie McCourt, 62, is now a leading figure in the Merseyside branch of Support after Murder and Manslaughter (Samm).

It was set up to provide emotional help and support to the bereaved family and friends of homicide victims.

Now, thanks to probation service, the group will extend their operation into the Wrexham area and the rest of North Wales.

Organised by the probation service, the first meeting for North Wales families and friends is being held at police headquar-

ters in Colwyn Bay at 7.30pm on Wednesday, July 12.

The idea is the brainchild of Siobhan McKeaveney, a victim liaison officer with the North Wales Probation Area.

Siobhan said: 'There is a huge need and demand for this service in North Wales.

'As a probation service we know these families are suffering and this is an opportunity for them to come together to help each other'

According to Siobhan, the work done by Marie and other

Samm volunteers was all the more effective as it was based on bitter personal experience.

To this day, the painful memories of the trauma remain an open emotional wound.

Marie said: 'The devastation never goes away from our families. That's why the work we do is so important. It enables the families to sit and talk with somebody who understands what they're going through.' nFor details call Marie McCourt on 0151 207 6767 of Siobhan McKeaveney on 01492 524000.