The Bradley Stoke Journal

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 »

An attack which saw a group of youths force a snake to bite their 14-year-old victim in Bradley Stoke has hit the national headlines.

The story was broken by the Bristol Evening Post (BEP) at 10am on Sunday.

Their report, titled “Teen attacked by Bristol gang ‘brandishing snake’“, said the incident had occurred in Merryweather Close, Bradley Stoke, on Saturday afternoon. The victim is said to have been subjected to racist comments from the gang.

The paper went on to say that the boy was taken to Frenchay Hospital, where he was treated for a bite wound on his right arm.

The story was soon picked up by the national press, with BEP stablemate The Daily Mail [report] leading the way. Other nationals covering the incident included The Telegraph [report] and The Guardian [report].

More details were revealed in a BBC Points West report on Monday, in which the victim was named as Dan Buddington.

Confusingly, the BBC report said the incident took place in “Patchway Common, Bradley Stoke”. Video footage in the report showed images of Patchway Common Pavilion and Patchway Common Skate Park, both of which are in Patchway rather than Bradley Stoke.

An updated report in Monday’s BEP says: “A 16 and 17-year-old are helping police with their inquiries following the incident.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Staple Hill police station on 0845 456 7000.