London - Detectives hunting the killer of TV presenter Jill Dando were last night on the verge of a breakthrough after a gun was found close to the murder scene.
Scotland Yard confirmed the handgun, which was found shortly before midday on the foreshore of the Thames near Putney Bridge in west London, was being examined by forensic experts to see if it was the murder weapon.
It was reported that the weapon, discovered wrapped in newspaper by a film crew worker, was a 9mm Beretta - the type of gun which was used to shoot Ms Dando at point-blank range outside her Fulham home in April.