The Bradley Stoke Journal

An eleven-year-old schoolgirl has raised more than £400 for the couple who lost two of their sons in the Merryweather Close fire tragedy.

Chloe Webster, a student at Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS), didn’t know the Whitton family but felt so moved by their loss that she decided to stage a three-mile sponsored run through the town to help raise money for them.

Two police community support officers followed Chloe in their car during her run on Saturday morning and she was met at the finish by a crew of firefighters from Avon Fire & Rescue.

Town Mayor Ben Walker was on hand at the finish to accept, on behalf of the Whitton family, a cheque for the £408 raised through sponsorship from family, friends and teachers.

Chloe’s mum Claire told The Journal that the Whitton’s eldest son Adam, a Year 12 student BSCS, had this week visited Chloe to thank her for her fundraising efforts.

Elsewhere, tickets are now available for a major event at BAWA, Filton, on Saturday 23rd April that will raise funds for the three families affected by the fire. Further details are available on the Victims of Merryweather Bradley Stoke group page on Facebook.

Related link: Merryweather Close Fire Victims Appeal Fund

Residents of Bradley Stoke and the surrounding area have rallied round to support families affected by a tragic house fire that claimed the lives of two young children.

Charlie and McKenzie Whitton, aged five and seven, died after fire broke out at their home in Merryweather Close at around 6am on Saturday 19th March. Their parents, Lee and Alex, managed to escape the blaze along with their other children Thomas, aged nine, and six-month-old Jak.

Neighbours Linda and Rebecca Ashley have now set up the Lee and Alex Gift Fund to raise money for the families affected by the fire. All the money raised will be given to Lee and Alex Whitton and the families in two adjoining properties in Merryweather Close, to use as they see fit.

Full details of how to contribute to the fund can now be found on The Journal’s Merryweather Close Fire Victims Appeal Fund page.

Elsewhere, four ladies from the wider community are organising a fundraising event in the ballroom of the BAWA Club, Filton, on Saturday 23rd April. On the night there will be special guest appearances (names to be confirmed), local bands performing, disco, raffle and auction.

Doors open from 8pm; bar closes 12:30am; event ends 1am. Tickets (£10 for adults, £5 for children) are available by either contacting the organisers through their Facebook event page or telephoning Louise Keogh on 07545 034450 or Aimee England on 07413 799416.

Further details of the event and the tremendous support being given by local businesses are available on the Victims of Merryweather Bradley Stoke group page on Facebook.

Read on to find out how local schoolchildren are helping the appeal »

Two young children have been found dead after a serious house fire in Merryweather Close in the early hours of this morning (Saturday).

Firefighters called to the scene at around 6:30am report finding a “very severe” fire on the first floor and roof space of an end-of-terrace three bedroom property in the cul-de-sac off Brook Way.

An Avon Fire & Rescue Service spokesperson said that two adults and three children had escaped from the building before crews arrived but two young children were believed to be still inside.

Firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus and fire fighting jets entered the building but were unable to save the two children, said by neighbours to be aged five and seven.

The cul-de-sac remains closed with police officers guarding the vehicle and pedestrian entrances while fire investigators work to establish the cause.

The fire service spokesperson said a report from the scene would be broadcast on tonight’s BBC Points West television news.

Read on for more photos from the scene »

Police are appealing for witnesses and information after a car was found ablaze in the car park of the Brook Way Activity Centre, Bradley Stoke.

Police and fire services were called in the early hours of Monday 27th September after a local resident reported the fire.

An Avon Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson told The Journal that two appliances from Patchway fire station attended the incident at 1:25am.

The vehicle was found to be well alight when crews arrived and they used high pressure hoses to extinguish the blaze.

The car, a Ford Focus, was later reported as having been stolen from Bradley Stoke overnight (Sunday to Monday, September 26th-27th).

Anyone with information which could help police enquiries is asked to contact South Gloucestershire police on 0845 456 7000. Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 (they never ask your name or trace your call).

Staff at Bradley Stoke’s Deep Blue fish and chip shop were busy cleaning up today (Friday) after a fire broke out in the premises overnight.

Two pumps from Patchway Fire Station were called out after fire alarms in the nearby Aldi supermarket were activated.

On arrival at the scene, firefighters gained entry to the supermarket thanks to a keyholder, but found no sign of fire. Crews then noticed the smell of burning fat and realised the fire alarm at the fish and chip shop was also sounding.

An incident report on the Avon Fire & Rescue Service website says:

Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus forced entry into the fish and chip shop and found a fire in a tray used for waste oil and scraps of cooked food.

Using a dry powder extinguisher the fire was quickly put out and two positive pressure ventilation fans were used to clear the heavily smoke-logged premises.

The cause of the fire is said to be accidental.

A source at Deep Blue said they were “trying their best” to get the shop cleaned up in order to re-open this evening.

Related link: Takeaway Food in Bradley Stoke

Police in Bradley Stoke have raised concerns over the lighting of campfires in Savages Wood, part of the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve.

PC Steven Palmer told the April meeting of the Bradley Stoke Safer & Stronger Community Group (SSCG) that youths have been accessing the woodland via a gate near the skate park and have lit campfires in the ‘outdoor classroom’ in the middle of the woods. A recent incident saw the Avon Fire & Rescue Service being called to extinguish a fire, he added.

The ‘outdoor classroom’ was created in 2005 by the Three Brooks Nauture Conservation Group and is intended for use by groups of schoolchildren on organised visits to the nature reserve.

SSCG Chairperson Julie Snelling pointed out that a recently published government policy document had suggested that children be allowed to play with fire (presumably under adult supervision), but PC Palmer said the youths’ actions were “considered dangerous” and “should not be encouraged”.

Bradley Stoke Town Council discussed the matter at the February meeting of its Finance & Leisure Committee, where it was suggested that the lack of shelter at the skate park might be a factor in encouraging youths to enter the woods.

The Council is now looking into the possibility of providing a ‘teen shelter’ at the skate park and is even considering re-using some of its old bus shelters, recently taken out of service after South Gloucestershire Council upgraded shelters on the number 73 bus route.

Should young people be allowed to light campfires in the nature reserve? Use our comments facility to share your views.