Watch as Shropshire author reveals the 'true identity' of Jack the Ripper after 130 years

In 1888, the people of Whitechapel, London were left in terror as Jack the Ripper murdered and mutilated five women.

No arrests were made at the time, and over the last century, dozens of theories have been being suggested over the years as to the identity of Jack the Ripper, ranging from Prince Albert and even Lewis Carroll.

Now Russell Edwards, an author who lives near Bridgnorth, has said he has found “proof” as to the identity of the world's most infamous killer.

Mr Edwards, who has spent the last 24 years researching and writing about Jack the Ripper, makes the revelation in his latest book: Naming Jack the Ripper: The Definitive Reveal.

In his book, Mr Edwards pins the five murders in the East End to a Polish barber called Aaron Kosminski.

He was a suspect at the time of the murders but now Mr Edwards has used cutting-edge DNA techniques and he hopes he can convince a coroner to re-open the inquest into the dead women.

He said: “After the fifth murder, Kosminski tried to kill his own sister with a knife.

"But he said there was a 'cover-up' by Mr Kosminski's brother who was a member of the Freemasons. It has always been linked to the Masons but there was no proof.”

He said not only does he have a photograph of Kosminski's brother in full Masonic dress, but he also DNA tested a bloodstained shawl belonging to one of the murdered women, Catherine Eddowes, which was found at the scene.

Mr Edwards bought the shawl from an auction in 2007 and had it DNA tested and compared to a descendant of Ms Eddowes to confirm it was indeed authentic, and then to a descendant of Kosminski, which revealed a match.

He has also used the very latest forensic techniques to reveal the face of Mr Kosminski in a bust.

“It is 100 per cent him,” said Mr Edwards. “The next step is to get ask the coroner's court to hold a second inquest into the deaths.”

Mr Edwards writes in his book that at the time of the murders, the head of London's CID, Dr Robert Anderson, already suspected Kosminski to be the perpetrator.

Police reports, published in 1894, revealed detectives believed Kosminksi to have a "great hatred of women, specially of the prostitute class, and had strong homicidal tendencies".

But Kosminski was never arrested and died in an asylum.

Naming Jack the Ripper: The Definitive Reveal by Russell Edwards is available form all good book shops or can be ordered direct from the author by contacting him via his website at thejacktherippertour.co.uk/.