THE former partner of a beloved father who was murdered says finding out somebody has been quizzed about his death has brought 20 years of painful emotions flooding back.

Grant Byrom, 30, was stabbed to death in Forest Road, Colchester, on Boxing Day 1998.

Mr Byrom – who was known to his friends as Granny – had been involved in a scuffle in the Clarendon pub in Harwich Road after playing football.

He had left the establishment but returned to the area later before being confronted in Forest Road by three men.

One of them stabbed him in the chest and he later died.

Nobody has been charged with his murder, but more than two decades later police have confirmed a man has now been interviewed in connection with the case after handing himself in.

He has been bailed until July 9.

Sue Moore, 49, is the mother of Mr Byrom’s children Dean and Tanya. She said she was stunned when she found out the news.

“I’m speechless – I don’t know how to feel,” she said.

“If you go to Granny’s grave it still looks brand new.

“I go there every week with my brother Rob – it was like they were brothers because of how close they were.

“When you lose somebody it is so painful there are no words to describe that.

“After 20 years you learn to live with that pain.

“But when I found out everything just came rushing back.

“I look at my children and they have spent all these years without their dad – and he was such a great dad.

“Even my grandchildren, who are five and seven, have been told about their grandad and even know how he died.

“It is like they know him because we talk about him all the time and sometimes it is like he is still here.

“When we go to McDonald’s they ask for two balloons, one for themselves, and one they can release into heaven for grandad.”

Sue, who still lives in Colchester, said she had not been informed by police about the new developments in the case.

“They should have contacted me, they know how to get hold of me” she said.

“Up until then, the police have been pretty good keeping me up to date but I should not have had to find out the way I did.”

Essex Police said they had made attempts to contact Mr Byrom's family since the man was interviewed.