MOORS murder victim Keith Bennett will remain “in the possession” of evil killers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley until his body is found, the victim’s brother has said.

Alan Bennett said the death of his mother, Winnie Johnson, 78, at the weekend must not be seen as closure to the case as the family vowed to continue the fight to locate the remains of the 12-year-old.

Mrs Johnson – mother of Moors Murder victim Keith Bennett – has died without finding her son’s body.

The 78-year-old passed away over the weekend – just hours after renewed speculation that killer Ian Brady could be about to reveal the location of the young victim.

Brady, 74, has been urged by police to “at last do the decent thing” and finally tell them where he buried him on Saddleworth Moor between Manchester and Holmfirth so Keith can be given a Christian burial.

The closest Winnie Johnson came to giving him a funeral was to hold a memorial service at Manchester Cathedral two years ago in which she tearfully told the congregation: “I’m Keith’s mother ... he’s there on the Moors, I want him back.”

Keith was abducted as he walked to his grandmother’s house in Longsight in Manchester on June 16, 1964.

Brady and his accomplice Myra Hindley murdered the 12-year-old before burying his body on Saddleworth Moor.

The youngster is the only one of the Moors Murderers’ five victims whose body has never been found.

Last week police revealed they were investigating claims that Brady had finally revealed the location of Keith’s remains.

Jackie Powell, mental health advocate for the jailed killer, told a Channel 4 documentary that he gave her a sealed envelope to pass on to Mrs Johnson after his death.

The TV production team contacted Greater Manchester Police on July 30 and Ms Powell, 49, was detained on Friday on suspicion of preventing the burial of a body without lawful exercise.

Her son Alan paid tribute to his mother on Saturday – and vowed to continue her work.

“She was a much loved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, and is survived by one younger brother,” he said.

“My mother fought tirelessly for decades to find Keith and give him a Christian burial.

“Although this was not possible during her lifetime, we, her family, intend to continue this fight now for her and for Keith”.

Mrs Johnson’s solicitor John Ainley added: “Over the years and in all our personal meetings, Winnie has insisted Brady is the only person who could put her mind to rest and give her the chance to give Keith a decent burial before she passed away.

“She has died without knowing Keith's whereabouts and without the opportunity to finally put him at rest in a decent grave.

“It is a truly heartbreaking situation that this opportunity has now been irrevocably lost.”

Mrs Johnson’s son was one of five children murdered by Brady and Hindley between 1963 and 1965.

The pair were jailed for life in 1966 for killing John Kilbride, 12, Lesley Ann Downey, 10, and Edward Evans, 17.

But in 1987 the murderers admitted killing Keith and 16-year-old Pauline Reade.

Detectives took Brady and Hindley to Saddleworth Moor, off the A635 Greenfield Road, to find the bodies.

Only Pauline’s remains were found, near Shiny Brook, at the head of the Wessenden valley.

Hindley died in jail aged 60 in 2002.

Brady has been at the high-security Ashworth Hospital in Merseyside since 1985.

Mrs Johnson wrote to the killer several times pleading for the location of her son’s remains.

In her final letter to Brady earlier this year, she wrote: “If you have got it in your heart to tell me where Keith is, it would end the trouble I have had for 47 years.

“I would like him found and buried before anything happens to me.”