Ann said: "I would like to think that it will be kept open while I am alive."

She said garda� still contact her whenever they have any little fragment of hope that could help solve the mystery of what happened six-year-old Mary.

Ann said: "People still sometimes tell the garda� about ideas they have of little bits of information they suddenly remember all these years later. The garda� come and tell me - just in case something might fall into place."