Reporting by Ben Philip.

The family of a murdered taxi driver have made a renewed appeal for information more than three decades on from his death.

George Murdoch, 58, known to family and friends as Dod, was killed in a frenzied attack on the outskirts of Aberdeen on the evening of September 29, 1983.

The incident which was later dubbed 'the cheesewire murder' sent shock waves around the Granite City and the case remains unsolved.

It's thought the motive was robbery - the killer only made off with a few pounds.

Police are to review the case in the hope that fresh information will come to light about the identity of the man responsible.

His family are offering a £10,000 reward for information which results in the arrest of the person responsible.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Mr Murdoch's nephew, Alex McKay, 61, said: "He was a quiet, unassuming, gentle, kind man.

"When I think of him I think of Dod with a smile on his face.

"We're still as desperate today as we were then to have this murder solved.

"We still feel it greatly."

Speaking of Mr Murdoch's killer, he said: "This guy has a mother, he's probably had a girlfriend, a sister, a wife - I suspect at the time after his (Dod's) death they would have recognised that something had changed in that man's demeanour.

"They know something and I appeal to them.

"Their conscience must be in turmoil.

"I would say to them, for their sake and certainly for my family's sake - do not take this to your grave."

On the night of his death, Mr Murdoch picked up his last fare on Queens Road around 8:35pm and radioed his control room informing them he was heading for Peterculter.

But shortly afterwards he was brutally attacked on Pitfodels Station Road, Cults, some five miles short of his destination.

Only his killer knows why.

A cheese-wire was found at the scene, and a man in his twenties with short dark hair was reportedly seen running along North Deeside Road towards the city centre shortly after the attack, leaving Mr Murdoch for dead.

Two teenagers on bicycles witnessed the struggle between George and his attacker - they cycled to the nearby Cults Hotel and called the police.

The investigation remains one of the biggest ever carried out in modern times.

Detective Inspector Gary Winter, of the Major Investigation Team, said: "35 years have passed since George was murdered and the case continues to be reviewed.

"This review consists of using the most advanced currently-available forensic techniques and significant re-interviews of the key eye witnesses who saw the assault take place.

"George's killer would now be approaching his sixties or older and has enjoyed a life denied to his victim and his wife."

He added: "I can confirm that a cheese-wire was used during the assault on George which is clearly an unusual item to have in your possession.

"Someone out there knows what happened and I hope this appeal today serves as a vital reminder that it is never too late to come forward with information."

Another motorist saw Mr Murdoch lying beside his taxi with severe injuries to his head, face and neck and alerted the residents of the nearest house.

Speaking to STV News, Lesley Little, 64, said: "Somebody came to the door and thought Mr Murdoch had been knocked down.

"My late husband and I hadn't heard anything at the time, so when we went out and we did get a shock.

"Mr Murdoch was lying on the ground. I couldn't feel a pulse.

"It has had an impact, but you try to put these things behind you.

"I think it would be nice if anybody knows anything to come forward because his family have put up with this for a long time and so has Aberdeen itself."

More than two weeks after the incident, following door-to-door inquiries, police discovered that a nearby chip shop worker had served a man who was bleeding and sweating on the night of the murder.

The man had allegedly gone to Mr Chips on Great Western Road and asked for plasters.

However it's never been proven if this was the man responsible for the attack.

Speaking of this information, Mr McKay, said: "If you ask several members of my family, they would say yes I think it might be him.

"But I'm totally sceptical about that.

"Not that I've ever murdered somebody, but I just don't think I'm going to go into a chip shop and get something to eat after doing something like that.

"What's disappointing is the number of people there that night and not one person came forward."

Police Scotland said they are confident that they will be able to solve this case if the right people come forward with the right information.

Anyone who believes they can assist is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101 or you can email a dedicated inbox at SCDHOLMESAberdeen@Scotland.pnn.police.uk.

You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.