Latest news with #A29
BBC News
01-07-2025
- BBC News
Police reflect on Sarah Payne's murder 25 years on
Sarah Payne was just eight years old when she was abducted while playing near her grandparents home on 1July body was found 17 days later, several miles away in a field, just off the A29 near Pulborough in West Sussex. Roy Whiting was jailed for life in December 2001 for her murder. On the 25th anniversary of her disappearance, Martyn Underhill, the Met Office deputy senior investigating officer in charge of the murder investigation, has spoken of the legacy she left behind. Martyn Underhill MBE served as a police officer in both the Metropolitan Police and Sussex Police from 1979 to Underhill, who now lives in Dorset, told the BBC it was one of the biggest investigations he was involved in. There were 1,300 police officers involved and it cost nearly £ said: "The enormity of the task was the size of the search area which was hundreds of square miles."We had thousands of people helping, but it was a lengthy and laborious task trying to find Sarah's body."He said the chances of finding Sarah was "diminishing rapidly" when there was no news of her whereabouts within three days of the search."It was almost a relief for the family and police when she was tragically found," he said. Kevin Moore, now-retired, was head of Sussex Police CID during the investigation. He said local detective inspector, Paul Williams identified "a number of individuals" at the time, including Whiting. He said Whiting came on their radar because he could not account for his movements and had access to the van. Later, crime scene investigation officers took the van "to pieces", he said, and found forensic evidence linking Sarah to the vehicle. It was forensic science which helped solve the murder. A strand of Sarah's hair was found on Whiting's sweatshirt and fibres from his clothes were found on the girl's shoe. Patricia Wiltshire, a forensic ecologist from Surrey, was part of the investigation team. She analysed pollen on some of Whiting's belongings and was able to place Whiting at the site where Sarah's body was found. Other high profile cases Ms Wiltshire has helped investigate include the the murder of Milly Dowler in Walton-on-Thames and five women murdered by a serial killer in Ipswich in Wiltshire said she was "pleased" to bring Whiting to justice and "pleased science could be applied to help solve a crime". Sarah's legacy Following Whiting's conviction, Mr Underhill said a "source of pride" for him was helping launch Sarah's Child Sex Offender Scheme followed a similar scheme, Megan's Law, in the United States. It allows parents to ask police if someone with access to their son or daughter has been convicted or suspected of child mother, Sara Payne, had been advocating for such an initiative to be in place since her daughter's murder. Mr Underhill said: "The legacy of the tragedy of little Sarah is enormous. "Millions of children in the UK have grown up in a safer environment."Not just because of Sarah's Law, but the whole process of managing high-risk paedophiles in the community which has changed so much since her murder. "There's no doubt the case was tragic, but her legacy is enormous and her family must take some comfort from that." Sussex Police said Sarah's murder was "tragic and is still in the thoughts of many police officers and staff, past and present". "Our thoughts remain with Sarah's family as we approach the 25th anniversary of her death."Emily Konstantas, chief executive of The Safeguarding Alliance, said Sarah's Law is significant but there are said information cannot be passed on to others who may be responsible for safeguarding the child, which "hinders" taking a "collective and preventative approach to child protection"."It is time to strengthen Sarah's Law to ensure that those best placed to protect children can share relevant information lawfully, responsibly, and without unnecessary barriers", she said."Protection must be proactive, not bound by red tape."We must also consider the urgent need for reforms such as Della's Law, which seeks to close the loophole allowing sex offenders to change their names and conceal their identities. "Without addressing this, we risk rendering disclosure schemes ineffective. "A joined-up approach is essential if we are to truly prioritise the safety of children."
BBC News
20-06-2025
- BBC News
Maghera: Drivers gobsmacked by 'massive' yellow box junction
Is this the biggest yellow box junction in the UK, Ireland or even the world?People in a County Londonderry town say they are gobsmacked by the size of a new set of road has been dubbed the "small town with the big yellow box" after the road markings were painted earlier in the box stretches more than 40m along a busy junction frequently used by buses and lorries as well as cars. It is aimed at improving traffic flow on the A29 Tobermore Road. Melissa Caskey, who works in an office which overlooks the box, said she was shocked when she first saw it."It's massive. It's ridiculous. Everybody who comes into our office says – 'have you seen the size of that box out there?" she said."It's really silly and very few people know how to use it. But I do think they had a good reason for it because that's a very busy junction."She said a smaller box would have been better. Some residents highlighted the need for safer driving and said they hoped the new box might Regan, who runs a bar nearby, said he hoped it might become a tourist attraction."The north coast has the Dark Hedges and the Giant's Causeway, we've got the largest box-junction in Ireland," he said. The Department for Infrastructure has been contacted for in the town centre, the yellow box is close to local businesses including a cinema, but is also used by through there is criticism of the size of the traffic flow measure, there is a general recognition that traffic flow in the town needs to be improved. Other claims to fame Many other towns and villages in Ireland claim to be home to abnormally large many years the peninsula of Doagh in Donegal was said to be home to Ireland's largest searchlight as part of the Donegal Lapland festival each ChristmasThe village of Ross Cross in County Meath is said to be home of the island's largest 99 ice creamDonegall Quay in the centre of Belfast is the domain of what is reputedly the largest statue of a fish in IrelandCork city is believed to have Ireland's largest roundabout - the Kinsale Road roundabout which has five separate arms.
