Campaign group launched to cut violence in Blackburn

10:41am Wednesday 8th July 2009

By Emma Cruces

AN internet group calling for Blackburn to be made safer has been started by relatives of people attacked in the town.

Organisers of Facebook group Make Blackburn A Safer Place are raising awareness of violent attacks in the town which have led to serious brain injury and death.

Organisers of the group include Zy Bar landlord James Foley, 32, who was left fighting for his life when attacked on his stag night, and 27-year-old Rachel Baxter, who lost her brother in a violent attack a month ago.

They joined forces with Blackburn DJ Kirk Bullen, who suggested starting the group after an attack put his uncle in intensive care with serious head injuries.

The group has proved to be a Facebook hit, with 1,127 members who have posted their own views online.

Rachel from Shadsworth, whose brother Christopher Folkes, 36, died after an alleged attack in Queen’s Park said: “Blackburn as a whole seems to be getting more violent.

"It makes me want to move out to escape the problems. I’ve heard of people who don’t want to report attacks or who have been threatened with violence to leave the park.”

James, who was kicked in the head by a nightclub doorman in Blackpool in 2005, said his experience as well as running a bar meant he was very conscious of problems surrounding violence in Blackburn.

He added: “My attacker was out of jail in five months but it was six months before I could even go back to work.

The group is planning to host a charity night at Zy Bar in aid of brain injury association Headway and other charities on Sunday, August 30.

DI Neil Ashton at Blackburn CID said he welcomed anything that would help tackle violent crime in the town.

"This year, figures for violent crime are slightly reduced, and life-threatening incidents are much lower – down by about 24 per cent.

“If raising awareness in this way can help improve matters even further it can only be welcomed.”