Father's horror at safari scene

A father today described his horror as he found body parts of his daughter after flying to Africa when she went missing in a game reserve.

Julie Ward, 28, disappeared on a wildlife photography trip in September 1988 and her father, now 70, has devoted his life to discovering the truth about her death. Today hotelier John Ward told the full British inquest, nearly 16 years later, about his searing memories of the stench of rotting flesh, a piece of orange towel and a tin with her writing at the scene.

Mr Ward, from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, never accepted the Kenyan authorities' claims that she had been attacked and eaten by wild animals.

He has spent £1million carrying out a personal investigation and produced evidence in a bid to prove she had been murdered, but in two criminal trials held in Kenya the suspects have been acquitted.

Before today's hearing he said it must explore evidence that the British and Kenyan governments were involved in a cover-up over her death, possibly to protect the Kenyan tourist industry.

In court in Ipswich today he described how he had

organised an aircraft search of areas of the Masai Mara game reserve where she had been camping alone. A pilot spotted his daughter's vehicle and park rangers found her remains.

"I was told it was not a body they had found," Mr Ward told the inquest in Ipswich. "There was a leg and jaw and there had been a burning accident."

He said he was flown by helicopter to the scene and added: "I was shown the bottom half of a left leg. A little way off there was a jawbone ... Hanging over a bough of the tree was a piece of orange towel."

He said he found a food tin with the word "pilchards" written on it near the base of a tree. "I thought it was Julie's writing," Mr Ward told the inquest. "I was getting pretty upset at this time, as you can imagine. In disgust or anger I threw this tin away."

He said there was the seat of a fire nearby and he could smell burning flesh. "Of course I knew it had to be Julie but I was not sure it was Julie," he added. "I found nothing in there that I could identify."

Greater Suffolk coroner Dr Peter Dean has decided to hold a full inquest into Miss Ward's death in the hope of uncovering the full facts. Former Met police officers, Foreign Office officials and a retired member of the intelligence services are due to give evidence.

Mr Ward said he hopes the hearing, due to last a week, will reveal all the available evidence and lead to a new investigation in Kenya which will find his daughter's killers.

Before the hearing, Mr Ward said today: "Julie suffered a terrible, terrible death and those responsible are still walking free. I am as determined as I have ever been to find the people who killed my daughter and I believe her murder can still be solved.

"The ultimate answers to Julie's death are still in Kenya - but the inquest will be another vital stepping stone. I hope for a verdict of unlawful killing by person or persons unknown. I can't say I know who did kill my daughter - but I certainly know people who were involved in it."

Dr Dean praised the " commitment, resolve and tireless dedication" of Mr Ward in pursuing the case as he opened the hearing in Ipswich. He added: "It is highly unlikely that without these efforts on his part ... this inquest would take place at all."

He told the hearing his daughter had joined 25 travellers to journey overland in a tour bus from Suffolk to Nairobi. Mr Ward added: "I am sure the girl who arrived in Nairobi was very different. She blossomed during the trip and was certainly more capable."

Mr Ward hopes the case might be re-opened under the new Kenyan government led by Mwai Kibaki.