Stone has twice been found guilty of the murders of Lin and Megan and the attempted murder of Josie .

Following the murders, Josie and her father returned to live in Dyffryn Nantlle, Gwynedd, where they had moved from just a few months before the murders, and where she now works as an artist.

Stone has always protested his innocence.

In 2022, Stone’s solicitor Paul Bacon said he had received a four-page statement, written by Bellfield, which admitted to and detailed the killings.

Last week, Bacon said he was “very hopeful” the CCRC review and Stone’s DNA test “will eventually lead to the real culprit being found”.

“We hope then to be able to bring Michael before the Court of Appeal, and for him to regain his freedom after all these years of incarceration,” he said.

A CCRC spokesperson said: “We intend to obtain a sample from Mr Bellfield. No date has been set for this.”