Wednesday, 24 June 2020

Join Saturday's London Renters Union Day of Action - Brent branch of the LRU soon?


Saturday 27th June sees a Day of Action organised by The London Renter's Union aimed at highlighting  the plight of renters during the Covid19 crisis.

Is your rent too high? You’re not alone. Londoners face the highest rents in Europe. Many of us live with the threat of eviction or in unsafe housing.

Many have lost all or part of their income yet renters have received no help during the crisis.
For too long, our housing system has prioritised private profits of landlords over the needs of the rest of us, leading to unaffordable rents, increased insecurity, and the decimation of public housing. A housing system rigged in the interests of landlords and investors is now deepening the problems caused by the Corona virus pandemic.

By coming together and organising we can support each other, stand up to landlords and win lower rents, longer tenancies and better housing for everyone.The London Renters Union is already successfully organising with renters in Newham & Leytonstone, Hackney and Lewisham with branches planned in other boroughs including Brent, which has a high percentage of private renters. Estimates are for that to rise to 40% by 2025.

We need your help to become a city-wide union that can tackle the housing crisis.

By working together we can achieve our aims.

What can you as an individual do?

Join the London Renter's Union www.londonrentersunion.org 

Follow us across social media

Take part in Saturday's Day of Action by staying safe and

  • hanging a banner from your window 
  • taking a photo of yourself with a placard/poster and share it on your social media
  • email your MP using the tool from our website
  • Lewisham are doing a bike parade,  events are also taking place in Hackney and in Newham
  • Holding an open meeting for people who haven't yet set up a branch such as in Brent encouraging them to get together with people they know in the local area to do something (e.g. a banner drop/hold a banner in a prominent place) and post on social media


Aim + Focus of this month’s day of action 
  • The aim is to make people aware of the campaign and to sign up to The London Renter's Union. 
  • We want the focus to be on racism in housing and to highlight that the issues we’re seeing disproportionately impact the BAME community and how borders in housing interconnect with our other demands. The way people can fight back against racism in housing is by signing up to resist evictions .
  • Let The Government know you situation  - via your MP and social media

Call for Brent Council to review policy on high-density high-rise developments in view of Brent's high Covid19 death rate

Paul Lorber of Brent Liberal Democrats has written to Brent Council CEO regarding the new development that is planned for the Bridgewater Road site near Alperton station. LINK

The application is due to be heard at  Planning Committee tonight and Alperton Cllr Anton Georgiou will be speaking against it.

The meeting is being livestreamed 6pm tonight VIEW HERE

Paul Lorber writes:
Has Brent Council undertaken a study why the Alperton area has one of the highest death rates during the current Covid 19 emergency?

Overcrowding, lack of open spaces, overdevelopment, congested roads, low incomes, poor diet etc etc may be some of the reasons.

Brent Council cannot be responsible or be able to control all of these.

Brent Council should however stop and study evidence and listen to advice to stop making the situation worse and to mitigate the impact of future outbreaks - which may be just a few weeks away.

The first step Brent Council should do is to revise its Planning Policies and stop any more massive tower blocks with no amenity open space until such time as the Council has answers to some of the questions.

There is a 26 storey block being built in Ealing Road opposite the bus garage. A massive block is coming on the opposite side by the Canal. There is talk of another massive development on the side of the Bus Garage - this on top of everything that has been built already.

Tonight the Planning Committee is considering a development including a 19 storey block at the back of the Alperton Garage around the corner in Bridgewater Road. This is another over development with no car parking with as much being squeezed in as possible to help the developer and  boost the Council's CIL and new homes bonus pot. I think the death toll in Alperton should now be a factor which should influence the Council thinking as to whether these types of highrise monsters are a good or safe option for the future.

At times like these there is a need for decisive leadership. I think you should now recommend to the Council that the policy of massive highrise and excessive densities of new build needs to be reviewed in view of the Covid 19 crises and the excessive number of deaths in parts of Brent. 

I trust that you will take action before it is too late.

I am copying the chair and vice chair of Planning as I think they should consider deferring the Alperton Planning application before them this evening.

UPDATED WITH BRENT COUNCIL STATEMENT: Dismay over 'ugly' lockdown 5G mast installations

Church Lane, Kingsbury
Multiple cabinet on Fryent Way
Mast on Fryent Way
Residents have been in contact over installations of 5G masts and associated cabinets over the lockdown period.

The government is determined to be in the forefront of  5G installation ('world beating'?) and relaxed planning constraints.  At locations where masts already exist the default position is to allow the new installation.

The phone companies can give notice of proposed installation under Permitted Development Rights to the planning authority and if the authority does not respond within 56 days they can go ahead as 'Deemed Consent' is assumed.

Given the fact that councils are busy with coping with Covid19 the 56 days can elapse before a  response is made.  Sheffield City Council had to issue an apology LINK.
Councillor Bob Johnson, Cabinet Member for Transport and Sustainability at Sheffield City Council, said: “The Council apologises for this mistake but hope people will understand we are operating in extraordinary circumstances which have led to these oversights occurring. We understand residents’ depth of feeling about the location of these masts and we are sorry that they were not properly determined within the time limit.'
Were the phone companies taking advantage of local councils' correctly prioritising the protection of residents as a result of the Covid19 crisis?

The cabinets that are installed at the base of the masts reflect the different competing companies and makes one wonder about one positive by-product of nationalisation in that the number would be reduced!

Apart from it being an 'eye sore' local residents in Church Lane have pointed out the collision danger posed to local residents by the extensive installation.   The Fryent Way installation is only 200 yards from the already extensive set of masts and cabinets at the Salmon Street/Fryent Way roundabout and is on the border of the Country Park.

Did Brent Council give planning permission for these installations and were alternative sites considered?

Other Brent residents as they get out and about after lockdown may see other recent installations - do let us know what you think.

UPDATE June 30th

A Brent Council spokesperson said:

“Planning permission was sought for both installations last year. Consultation was undertaken, with letters sent out and site notices put up.  The potential impacts of the installations were considered and planning permission granted. Government policy supports the expansion of electronic communications networks, including next generation mobile technology (such as 5G) and full fibre broadband connections. Legislation also allows for small scale apparatus to be installed as part of a deemed approval process. Under these rules the Council has limited control and must decide the case within a fixed time period. If the latter is not met this defaults to an automatic consent.”

Monday, 22 June 2020

Campaigners' frustration as Brent misses out on recent tranch of Active Travel cash


Social media has been buzzing with environmental campaigners' frustration as Brent seems to be missing out on funding that would enable provision of some walking and cycling friendly change on our streets as we emerge from Covid19 restrictions and seek to maintain some of the clear air and traffic reduction benefits of lockdown.




Way back on May 31st Cllr Shama Taylor, had written to fellow councillors with an update on Active Travel Measures.  She told councillors that although London was awarded £25m over the rest of the financial year the Council had only got confirmation  the previous Thursday and the deadline for applications for the first tranch of funding was June 5th.  She asked councillors to think of areas or roads in their wards or Brent Connect areas that would benefit from Active Travel infrastructure or routes - cycling, walking and low traffic areas. This gave councillors just 5 days to speak to their residents and come up with ideas.

She told her colleagues that Council officers were working 'flat out' to put in an application.

 Some council had already put measures in place ahead of any funding - Brent Council's action appeared to be limited to some pavement widening.

When the funding allocations were announced and Brent was missing from the list this was the reaction:

In response Cllr Tatler urged patience saying that officers had been working 'flat out' and said that we should hear this week whether the bid based on Brent Council's travel plan had been accepted:


The document below gives details of the  schemes other boroughs have had funded:





Meanwhile the petition calling on Brent Council to 'build back better' post Covid has been gaining support.  Sign the petition  HERE.

Saturday, 20 June 2020

Alperton high rise city's onward march up Bridgewater Road

The emerging high rise city
The former Saab showroom, 2A Bridgewater Road, part of the development site
The site marked with red pin - note the 2 storey suburban housing to the right of image
Wednesday's Planning Committee will be asked to following officers' recommendation and approve a 4-19 storey development to replace the low rise former Saab showroom at 2A Bridgewater Road, Alperton.

The application continues the expansion of high rise in the area as can be seen from the top image take from the application.  The blocks are set back near the Piccadilly underground line, which offers say mitigate their height, with an industrial unit on the street frontage. 

The housing comprises 124 units:

Affordable Housing – comprising 47 affordable rent units at London Affordable Rent levels and 77 shared ownership units in line with the household income cap and eligibility criteria for intermediate products set out in the London Plan and draft London Plan
It has less family housing than guidance suggests but officers say that is offset by its '100% affordability.'

Apart from some disabled parking it will be a car free but officers suggest the case for a local CPZ will be strengthened by the development.

Regarding the development's closeness to traditional 2 storey surburban housing, the report states:
The proposal would respond well to the constraints and opportunities of development in this area of transition between the dense urban fabric around Alperton Station and the more traditional housing to the northwest.

 


The Wembley Park Story – Part 6

Welcome to the 6th and final part of Philip Grant's Story of Wembley Park


Welcome back to this final part of Wembley Park’s story. In Part 5 (“click” if you missed it) we reached the point where Wembley had won the bid to be the home of England’s new football stadium. In 1999, the Football Association bought the old stadium for £103million, through a new company, Wembley National Stadium Ltd. 

Even though the plans for the new stadium were still vague, an Australian company, Multiplex, agreed to build it for £326.5m, just before the old stadium’s final match (an England v. Germany international) in October 2000. Many people had thought that Wembley’s iconic “twin towers”, which were Grade II listed buildings, would be retained. However, Brent Council agreed to the whole stadium being demolished, although work did not begin on that until 2002.

1. Wembley's "twin towers", about to be demolished in January 2003. (Photograph by Pete Tomsett)

Although the old Wembley Stadium estate included over 100 acres of land and buildings, the F.A. had decided that they were ‘not in the business of regeneration’. By 2002, around 85 acres, including Wembley Arena (in 1978, the former Empire Pool was officially renamed), had been sold to the developers, Quintain Estates. They began drawing up a masterplan for the regeneration of Wembley Park, in consultation with Brent Council.

Early in 2003, the world watched as the towers of the old stadium were demolished. Rubble from them was used for part of the foundations of the new Wembley. What I didn’t know, until a few years ago, was that a concrete flagpole base, from the top of one of the “twin towers”, was saved as a memory of the old Wembley. If your “lockdown” exercise walk takes you to Brent River Park, you can see it by the footpath on the east side of the river, near Pitfield Way.

2. The “twin towers” flagpole base, at Brent River Park.



The demolition of the old stadium


While work was underway to build a new stadium on the site of the old, Quintain were also beginning their efforts. The Arena was still a thriving venue for over 150 shows a year, but it too was getting old. By 2005, a £20million upgrade was in progress, and you can see this in the photograph below. The 1934 building is having a facelift, with its entrance being moved to the eastern end, from a new Arena Square, while in the foreground is the roof of the former Palace of Industry. You can also see the round Conference Centre, the triangular office building Elvin House, and the exhibition halls and multi-storey car park of the 1970s Wembley Complex.


3. Aerial view of Wembley Arena and surrounding buildings in 2005. (Image from the internet)

The Arch, which was to be the distinctive feature of the new Wembley Stadium, was raised into place in 2004. However, there were problems and delays with the construction project, and it was not until March 2007 that stadium was ready, at a final cost of £757m. A new “White Horse Bridge” provided improved pedestrian access from the High Road, and Wembley Central and Stadium stations. Local residents got the chance to look at the new stadium, before the start of what it was hoped will be a legendary history to match that of the “twin towers”.


4. Brent residents crossing the White Horse Bridge, after a March 2007 Community Day at the Stadium.
(Photograph by Malcolm Barrès-Baker. Brent Archives online image 7057)
5. Forum House, in 2009, with construction on the former Conference Centre site underway beside it.

The refurbished, 12,500 seat Wembley Arena had reopened in April 2006, hosting the London leg of Depeche Mode’s “Touring the Angel” tour. Other construction work, for what Quintain originally called Wembley City, was going on nearby. Forum House, between the Arena and Empire Way, was their first residential block to be finished. By 2007, the Conference Centre next door, and other 1970s buildings, were being demolished to make way for larger schemes.


6. Wembley Conference Centre being demolished in 2007. (By M. Barrès-Baker. Brent Archives image 7070)

Among the projects completed over the next few years were the 4-star Hilton Hotel, across Lakeside Way from the Arena, the Quadrant Court flats and several blocks of student accommodation. With more people living in the area, a gym and small branches of Tesco and the Co-op on the ground floors of several new buildings helped to provide amenities. However, the most striking student block in Wembley Park, Victoria Hall (or “the helter-skelter”), which opened in North End Road in 2011, was not one of Quintain’s buildings.

7. The Victoria Hall student accommodation building, as seen from the stadium in January 2012.

The Olympic Games returned to Wembley in 2012. Although the main venues were at the Olympic Park, in East London’s Stratford district, both the stadium and the arena hosted sports events. For the 90,0000-seater stadium it was, of course, football matches, with three group games involving Great Britain’s men’s and women’s teams, two semi-finals and both finals. Wembley Arena hosted both the badminton and rhythmic gymnastics competitions. These required extra facilities, which were housed in temporary buildings on the former Palace of Arts site, with a special footbridge built over Engineers Way to link them to the arena.

While new buildings were going up, one of Wembley Park’s oldest buildings was almost destroyed by a fire in 2013. The Lodge to Richard Page’s estate (at least a century old when it was pictured at the start of Part 3) had already seemed accident-prone after it was hit by a runaway bus in 1973. Sadly, this Grade II listed cottage, at the corner of Wembley Park Drive, is still in a terrible state, with its repair hampered by the alleged arson that started the fire.


8. Wembley Park Lodge, with the bus accident in 1973 (Brent Archives image 9091), and in 2017.

2013 was also a milestone year for the regeneration of Wembley Park. Quintain’s London Designer Outlet (“LDO”) opened in October. This large development of shops, eating places and a multi-screen cinema was a visitor attraction, and a facility for local people. Under an agreement with the Council, Quintain were allowed to cover the Bobby Moore Bridge tile murals with large vinyl sheets advertising the LDO. That autumn also saw Brent Council move its 2,000 staff from the Town Hall in Forty Lane, and other buildings, into a brand-new Civic Centre.

9. Brent Civic Centre, from Arena Square, July 2014.

Brent’s new civic home had been built on part of the former Palace of Industry site, and the last section of this final relic of the 1924 exhibition had been knocked down in 2013. One of the first events put on by Brent Museum in the Civic Centre was a display marking the 90th anniversary of the British Empire Exhibition. Quintain had saved some of the concrete decorative lion heads when the “Palace” was demolished. Wembley History Society, and the Exhibition Study Group, worked with Quintain and Brent Council to put a “Wembley Lion” on permanent public display. It was unveiled in July 2014, on the green space in Wembley Hill Road, near the LDO.

10. The Wembley Lion (selfie opportunity!), with BEE information panel, in Wembley Hill Road, July 2014.

The use of the site opposite the arena for the 2012 Olympics had delayed its redevelopment by Quintain. Their large development of “Tipi” branded rental apartments, finally came on stream in 2016. The brick-faced blocks were around a private green space, and were known as Emerald Gardens. A road behind them was intended to commemorate the Palace of Arts, which had previously been on that site, before being demolished in the early 2000s.
Although Quintain still had plenty of land at Wembley Park to develop, they acquired some more in early 2016, when they bought Fountain Studios. From 1993, Fountain had been using the former Studio 5 building, and hosted the production of many famous TV shows. They had to close by the end of the year, with their last ever broadcast the live semi-final of that year’s “X-Factor”. Plans have since been put forward to redevelop the area as the Fulton Quarter, but the building reopened as Troubadour’s temporary Wembley Park Theatre in October 2019.

11. An aerial view across Wembley Park in 2017. (Courtesy of Julian Tollast / Quintain Plc)

At first sight, Wembley Park seems to be drowning under a sea of tall buildings in recent years, but there are some mitigating factors in its planning. Just as at the 1924 exhibition, there are green spaces between the concrete buildings, such as Elvin Gardens, behind the Civic Centre. A seven-acre park will soon be open, including a water feature. A community centre, The Yellow, has been provided, in a road remembering Wembley Park’s heritage. The long-promised primary school has yet to be built, however, and I am one of those who believe its proposed site, on York House’s car park, beside a main road with poor air quality, is a mistake.

12. The Yellow community centre, in Humphry Repton Lane, Wembley Park.

A major upgrade of Olympic Way was announced in 2017, with Brent Council agreeing to give Quintain a £17m contribution to its cost out of Community Infrastructure Levy payments. In April 2018, Wembley History Society asked both parties to put the Bobby Moore Bridge tile murals back on permanent public display, as part of those improvements. Among the features that have appeared beside the main route to the stadium, along with new trees, is the BoxPark food hall and entertainment venue.

13. Olympic Way improvements in progress, January 2019, with the new BoxPark and blocks of flats.

Despite strong opposition from local historians and residents, Brent’s Planning Committee agreed in July 2019 to allow the tile murals in subway to be covered with LED panels that can be used for advertising. Quintain had agreed to put one of the mural scenes, showing England footballers at the old “twin towers” stadium, on display as part of their public realm upgrade. In January 2020, three more scenes were put back on display for a few weeks, at the start of Brent’s London Borough of Culture year. Wembley Park’s sports and entertainment heritage covers more than just football, and I hope that its story will, in time, be properly celebrated!
14. The Bobby Moore Bridge subway in November 2019, with lights, and one tile mural scene on show.

Thank you for reading Wembley Park’s story; I hope you’ve enjoyed learning some interesting things about it. This series has ended, but there will be more local history next weekend!

Philip Grant.

Thank you very much Philip for all your work on this really interesting series of article.

Martin Francis 

Friday, 19 June 2020

Police issue new appeal and photographs in Nicole and Bibaa Fryent Country Park murder investigation

The sisters waving fairy lights at the park in the early hours of Saturday June 6th

Nicole Smallman (left) and Bibaa Henry (right)
Nicole (left) and Bibaa (right)

 From the Metropolitan Police

The heartbroken family of two sisters stabbed to death by a stranger in Wembley have spoken of their devastation and made a plea to the public to help police catch their killer.

The parents of 46-year-old Bibaa Henry and 27-year-old Nicole Smallman have made the following statement: 

"The greatest fear of any parent is that they will outlive their children. What makes our situation unique is that two adored sisters were murdered together on the same night. The grief we feel is palpable, our beautiful and talented daughters gone. Although there was a large age gap between them they shared a lot of the same interests. They were both very much interested in the Arts. Bibaa a hardworking professional was an exceptional Senior Social Worker and a passionate advocate for safeguarding vulnerable children and families. Before qualifying, and to earn some extra cash, she would transport disabled children to their activities. At her side in a car seat she would have our granddaughter who was only a couple of months old. Her passengers loved them both, she knew all their names and Bibaa would have them singing as they drove along.

"Bibaa loved her family and she was proud of her parents’ gifts and talents. Bibaa’s father, Herman having been a former ABA Featherweight Champion and Business Man setting up his own Building Contracting Company. As her mother, she admired my moving from office agency work to training to be a teacher and then to train later for the Priesthood. Bibaa was just barely five foot but she had the heart of a lion and a smile that would put Blackpool illuminations to shame.

"Nicole being the youngest of three sisters was a joy from the moment she entered this world. Nicole saw beauty in everything; she had a very calm and positive attitude towards most things in life. She was a strong advocate for Humanitarian causes and saving our planet. Her father Christopher and I would laugh together agreeing Nicole was a child of the 60s. She was an amazing Photographer, Actor and Singer. Her speaking voice was silky smooth. Her voice teacher at school had said she should do radio or TV presenting. Friends and family all agree she was beautiful both inside and out. Nicole was incredibly laidback and very approachable. Nowadays we would be referred to as a ‘Blended Family’ but that is not how we see ourselves. It is not something we would be happy to be said of us. Bibaa and Nicole were sisters whose untimely deaths we will spend the rest of our lives trying to come to terms with.

"The tributes for our girls keep flooding in; it has been comforting, heart-breaking and at times overwhelming. Faith and prayer is keeping us going. I’m not sure how we’d get through this without it. 'The bond that links your true family is not one blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life.’ Richard Bach.

"The pain we feel as a family is so deep no words can express how we are feeling. This has had a devastating impact on our lives and each day gets worse to think our daughters, Bibaa and Nicole, are not with us and that they have been brutally killed by someone.

"We are appealing to anyone who may have seen, heard, or know something to please contact the police who are investigating what has happened to our daughters, Bibaa and Nicole.”
Detectives have today released two photographs taken by the victims prior to the murders which they believe could assist with appeals; as their determined efforts to identify the attacker – now confirmed to be male - continue."

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Harding, who is leading the investigation, said:

 “Following our most recent appeal we received over 100 calls from members of the public who provided information which my officers are now in the process of going through. We are very thankful for this response, and want it to continue. Extensive searches are ongoing at the scene and we are discovering more evidence all the time. Any motive for the murders remains unknown, and we are exploring all possibilities.

“The meticulous work carried out by our specialist search teams has led to the recovery of a number of items belonging to both Nicole and Bibaa. This includes both of their mobile phones, which were found in a pond some distance from where they were discovered.

“We already knew that Nicole and Bibaa had been alone in the park from about 00:30hrs on Saturday, 6 June. I can now confirm that the last contact they are believed to have had with family and friends was at 01:05hrs. They were in good spirits and taking selfie pictures, listening to music and dancing with fairy lights until at least 01:13hrs. Those lights created a distinctive pattern, as the two images we are releasing today show. This in itself may have been noticeable to local residents and other users of the park. Did you see the lights at the time and if so can you remember where you were and whether you saw anything suspicious? Calls to the victims at around 02:30hrs went unanswered.”

“We have seized a considerable amount of CCTV from around the perimeter of the park and in surrounding roads, however if you have CCTV or dash cam footage and live locally or were out in the area and have not been contacted I urge you to get in touch.”

The existing key points stand, as detectives continue to appeal to the public for assistance with the following:
- The suspect received a significant injury/injuries during the incident. Have you noticed a loved one, neighbour, colleague, friend or acquaintance with a significant unexplained injury, to their hands in particular?
- It is believed the suspect left the park via the Valley Drive entrance. Did you see anyone acting suspiciously in that vicinity during the evening of Friday into early hours of Saturday? You may even have noticed someone who was injured.
- It’s possible members of the public may have stumbled upon items of property, but not realised the significance of them. If you did, you may well have information that could assist us hugely. No matter how insignificant it may seem, please contact us.
DCI Harding continued:
“The victims were much loved sisters who were very close despite their age gap. They were surrounded by friends and family and it’s unimaginable what they are going through. For their sake and the sake of the wider community we need to identify and apprehend the suspect as soon as possible. And we need help from the public to do that. So please do contact us with any information you may have which could assist, no matter how small. Someone out there knows something. I would ask them to look into their conscience and question their protection of an individual who has robbed a family of two beloved women.”
Police were called to Fryent Country Park off Slough Lane at 13:08hrs on Sunday, 7 June to a report of two women found unresponsive.

Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended the scene and they were pronounced dead at the scene. They were sisters, Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, who lived in Harrow and Brent respectively. Their bodies were discovered next to each other in a treeline.

A post-mortem examination conducted on Tuesday, 9 June gave the cause of death for both women as stab wounds.

Nicole and Bibaa were in a group of people who congregated in the park from around 19:40hrs on Friday, 5 June to celebrate Bibaa’s birthday.

Gradually people are believed to have left throughout the evening; by around 00:30hrs only Nicole and Bibaa remained. Officers believe they were murdered within the next couple of hours.
Both Nicole and Bibaa were reported as missing to police late on Saturday, 6 June when they did not return home; before they were discovered on Sunday.

Detectives from the Specialist Crime Command (Homicide) are investigating, with the assistance of officers from the North West Command Unit.

North West Borough commander Roy Smith, said:

“My thoughts are with the family who have lost two loved ones in the most tragic of circumstances.

“I know the experienced investigation team are working around the clock to identify whoever is responsible as swiftly as possible and ensure they are brought to justice. We will leave no stone unturned. Extra resources have been brought in to help from across the Met including additional detectives.

“I understand how alarmed and concerned residents will be about this incident given the circumstances.

“I want to reassure them that officers have been carrying out extra patrols in the area since Nicole and Bibaa were discovered and local residents can expect to see this continue over coming days, but of course it’s timely to remind people to be vigilant, particularly after dark in parks and opens areas and report anything suspicious to us immediately.”

+ On Wednesday, 10 June a 36-year-old man was arrested in south London on suspicion of murder.

He was taken into custody but subsequently released no further action with regards the murder.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call the incident room on 020 8721 4205, via 101 or tweet @MetCC quoting CAD 3160/7Jun. Alternatively information can be provided online via https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS19Z02-PO1. We also have access to interpreters who can assist if English is not your first language.

Information can be provided with 100 per cent anonymity to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Tributes to Nicole and Bibaa at the park gate in Fryent Way

People are being urged  via social media postings, to put a candle in their window tonight, 2 weeks after the birthday party in the park:

Tonight I am going to put a light or a candle in my front window. It is a symbol of peace and acknowledgement of the tragic event in Fryent Country Park two weeks ago. Please join me if you can.