Safer Burton Campaign
Raft race set to celebrate the life of stabbing victim
A RAFT race extravaganza has been organised to celebrate the life of a 21- year-old who was tragically stabbed to death in Burton. Connor Upton died on June 6, 2010, after being knifedd in the chest
Clairvoyance night to support campaign
TWO friends have organised a spiritualist spectacular to raise cash for the Mail's Safer Burton campaign. Becci Gladdin, from Stapenhill, and Joan Hughes, from Swadlincote, have organised the
Safety first as campaign helps to secure a scanner
BURTON will be raising the bar on town centre safety after funding for a walk-through metal detector was secured. The Mail's Safer Burton campaign has reached a significant milestone, with the cash
'If the campaign stops one person carrying a knife it could save a life'
BROOKE Kinsella, an MBE winner for her achievements in anti-knife crime campaigning, today speaks out about the murder of her 16- year-old brother, Ben, who was stabbed while on a night out
Doormen act fast as club thug pulls blade
A 42-YEAR-OLD man pulled a knife on door staff who tried to detain him following a fight in a Burton nightclub. The brawl broke out in the beer garden of Bullit in High Street in the early hours of
Medics know the true impact of knife crime
SENIOR doctors and nurses who deal with the aftermath of knife crime are urging people to think about the devastating consequences which can happen when using a blade. Dr James Crampton, emergency
Village publican signs up to town Pubwatch scheme
ANOTHER publican has backed the Mail's Safer Burton campaign by signing up to Pubwatch. Kaz McLean, who has been the manager of The Leopard in Tutbury for 18 months, is the latest to join the safety
'All I wanted was for him to kiss me one last time, but there was nothing'
"THERE was a chair next to him but I just kind of collapsed on top of him. I remember him being cold and hard. "I kept wiping his eyebrows, stroking his face and saying 'I can't believe you are here'.
You never think it's going to happen to you, but it can...
LEANNE Bird has bravely opened her heart to the Mail and said she fully supported the newspaper's Safer Burton campaign. She says she wants her children to grow up knowing that something positive came
Landlords are urged to join Pubwatch scheme
A LANDLORD has become one of the first to sign up to Pubwatch since the launch of the Mail's Safer Burton campaign. Bill Ganley, licensee of the The Grange Inn in Casey Lane, Shobnall, is now
Bid for permanent metal detector to be installed
BURTON could be one of the first towns in the country to have a permanent walk-through metal detector outside town centre venues to prevent weapons being taken in. The state-of-the-art security device
Town centre boss backs Safer Burton campaign
THE manager of Burton town centre has become the latest figure to back the Mail's Safer Burton campaign aimed at cracking down on crime in the area. Paul Howard has pledged his support for the
Yvonne Upton's victim impact statement
IT was July 2 , the day of Connor's funeral, and I never slept at all the night before. I should not have to do this, but in the end I knew it was time to lay my son to rest. I wanted to give my son a
He said 'I'll be fine, don't worry about me, mum'
CALL it a mother's instinct, but it was a moment Yvonne Upton would never forget. It was just a nurse at Burton's Queen's Hospital talking to a police officer, but it was the only sign she needed that
Safer Burton Campaign Aims
THE Mail's Safer Burton campaign has three aims prevention, education and reassurance. PREVENTION: Through our coverage and with the backing of posters, stickers, a specially created video,
'It isn't cool to carry a knife, so this image needs to be stamped out'
A BURTON Albion star says the Mail's Safer Burton campaign will make the town better for everyone. Brewers left-back Aaron Webster on behalf of the club is the latest highprofile figure to back
Why I back the Mail's campaign ...
AN ex-EastEnders star and leading anti-knife crime campaigner has backed the Mail's bid to make Burton's streets safer. Brooke Kinsella, whose brother, Ben, was stabbed to death in London in 2008,
Former boxing champ determined to do his bit
A BURTON-BORN boxing legend says the whole country needs to work together to correct the last 15 years when knife crime has spiralled out of control. Neville Brown, who had a successful 21-year
One stab victim treated by hospital every month
ONE stab victim is admitted to Burton's Queen's Hospital every month on average, new figures have revealed. Statistics released to the Mail under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act relating to the
Police chief appeals for readers to hand in knives
BURTON'S top cop is appealing to people to hand in their knives as part of a month-long amnesty to get weapons off the streets. The initiative, launched by Staffordshire Police in conjunction with the
Robbed of a final kiss
LEANNE Bird's story is almost unimaginably painful. Her fiance, Connor Upton, the father of her two children, was stabbed outside a Burton nightclub and died hours later in hospital. Today, for the
How do you tell your girls their daddy is dead?
"IT is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do tell my girls that their daddy had gone to heaven," says Leanne Bird, reflecting on the impact of fiance Connor Upton's murder. Leanne was 19
Brighter future dreams of a family life and career as a paramedic
SCARRED by the most traumatic experiences she may be, but Leanne Bird is looking positively towards the future, trying as best she can to move on with her life after losing her fiance to the blade of
Push to boost membership of town Pubwatch scheme
THE manager of Burton town centre is appealing to landlords to sign up to Pubwatch as part of the Mail's Safer Burton campaign. Paul Howard said Pubwatch, a national initiative, was adopted in Burton
Cops join campaign with launch of knife amnesty
A KNIFE amnesty is due to be launched as part of the Mail's Safer Burton campaign to get weapons off the streets. To help the fight against knife crime, the Mail will be working with Staffordshire
Justice Secretary vows support for campaign
JUSTICE Secretary Kenneth Clarke has thrown his weight behind the Mail's Safer Burton campaign. The senior cabinet member told the House of Commons he wished the people of Burton every success in
Give my son's death a meaning
YVONNE Upton was forced to suffer every parent's worst nightmare bury her son after his murder in cold blood. She said 'goodbye' to Connor, 21, after he was stabbed to death outside Burton's
'He had everything he wanted and everything to live for'
CONNOR Upton was the youngest of four siblings a loving son, a devoted father, a loyal partner and someone who was greatly loved by everyone who knew him. According to his mum, Yvonne, he had
'If we're successful, Connor hasn't died for nothing'
YVONNE Upton says she wholeheartedly backs the Mail's Safer Burton campaign and its bid to raise awareness of knife crime. Her 21-year-old son, Connor, was stabbed outside a Burton nightspot in June
