Girl, 16, stabbed to death in Cheshire park named as police launch murder probe
Police have launched a murder investigation after a 16-year-old girl was stabbed to death in a Cheshire park.
Brianna Ghey, from Birchwood in Warrington, was found on a pathway with serious injuries in Culcheth Linear Park at around 3pm on Saturday.
Emergency services were called but Brianna died at the scene.
Police have now launched a murder enquiry and want to speak to two people seen in the area at the time of the murder.
Detective Chief Supt Mike Evans from Cheshire Police said: “This is a truly awful attack on a 16-year-old girl, who has sadly lost her very short life. We are appealing for any information that will help us find who has done this to Brianna.
Culcheth Linear Park in Warrington. Pic: Google Street View
“In particular we are keen to speak to two people that were seen in the park where Brianna’s body was found who have been described as a white man and woman, in their late teens/early 20s, both with dark curly hair.
“The man was wearing a longish dark hooded coat and the woman had a distinctive red or purple black checked blanket-style coat and a long flowing skirt, dress or trousers,” he said.
“We are also keen to speak to anyone who was in the park from around 1.30pm until 4pm yesterday or anyone who may have seen Brianna in the hours leading up to her death. We would ask people and businesses within the local community to check any CCTV or dashcam footage for anything that may aid our investigation.
“I would like to reassure the local community that we are working hard to find those responsible for Brianna’s death and we have extra officers in and around Culcheth supporting the investigation. We also have officers supporting Brianna’s family at this really tragic time.”
The police had earlier called for people not to speculate about the murder.
Detective Chief Inspector Adam Waller said: “I understand the concerns that this incident is likely to cause, and I am aware that there are rumours circulating online – however, I would urge people not to speculate.”
He also appealed for any information or any CCTV or dashcam footage that may help the investigation.
The MP for Warrington North, Labour’s Charlotte Nichols, backed the police’s calls to avoid speculation “which will be very distressing to Brianna’s family and friends”.
“May Brianna’s memory forever be a blessing. My thoughts are with all those who knew and loved her.”
Liverpool have won the Premier League title after a 5-1 victory over Tottenham at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s men did it in impressive style, turning over Spurs in a convincing win.
It was a rocky start for the Reds after Dominic Solanke put the north London side ahead.
However, fortunes quickly changed in the first half as Liverpool scored three times without a response.
Captain Virgil van Dijk (centre) celebrates. Pic: Reuters
Salah on his knees in celebration after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott (below) and Jarell Quansah celebrate after full-time. Pic: PA
Slot cheers after the full-time whistle. Pic: AP
In the second half, it took until the 63rd minute for Mohamed Salah to make it 4-1 before a fifth followed.
The Reds have won the title in manager Arne Slot’s first season in charge, and move level with fierce rivals Manchester United on 20 league championships.
But it makes them arguably the most successful English club ever as they have won more European Cup or Champions League titles.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told Sky Sports after the final whistle: “It’s special and it’s something that we don’t take for granted. It’s amazing.
“A lot of emotions before the game, during the whole week, but we got the job done and we (are) truly deserved champions of England. (Liverpool is) the most beautiful club in the world and I think we deserve all of this. Let’s enjoy the next couple of weeks and let it sink in.”
Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas poses with a Premier League trophy cut out. Pic: Reuters
Manager Arne Slot and his team after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Slot took over last summer from Jurgen Klopp, who guided them to their previous and maiden Premier League title triumph in 2020, when the COVID-19 lockdown saw matches played behind closed doors.
He is the first Dutch manager to win the Premier League and the fifth man to do so in a debut campaign after Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini, and Antonio Conte.
Speaking to Sky Sports he said: “They [the players] did an outstanding job today. The main job was to win. Everyone said we had got it already. But we had to make sure and we got over the line.”
Several players, including Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah, played leading roles in both the 2025 and 2020 campaigns.
Van Dijk and Salah recently signed new contracts extending their careers at the club.
Mohamed Salah takes a selfie with fans after scouring the fourth Liverpool goal. Pic: AP
Fans at Anfield during the game. Pic: AP
Fans in the stands at Anfield before full-time. Pic: Reuters
Liverpool will have to wait until the final game of the season – at home to Crystal Palace on 25 May – to be presented with the Premier League trophy.
It will be the first time the club’s fans will have seen their side lift the top-flight title in person since 1990.
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Two pro-Palestinian demonstrators have thrown red powder on Tower Bridge – just moments before leading runners in the London Marathon went past.
The protesters were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and remain in custody, said the Metropolitan Police.
A video shared by Youth Demand, which is calling for a trade embargo on Israel, shows two people jumping over a barrier that separates spectators from the race course.
The pair, wearing t-shirts that say “Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel”, are then seen standing in the middle of the road on the bridge.
Pic: LNP
They throw red powder in the air as an official marathon car goes past displaying the race time.
A motorbike with a cameraman on board continues along the route, while a second motorbike stops and one of the riders gets off and pushes the pair out of the way, just before the men’s elite runners pass.
Several police officers then jump over the barrier and detain the pair, the footage shows.
There appeared to be no impact on the marathon.
More than 56,000 participants were expected to take part in the 26.2-mile race through the capital.
Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s elite race in a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s-only world record in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.
Assefa beat the previous best of two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.
Read more:
Sky’s Beth Rigby running marathon in honour of ‘dearest friend’
Badenoch does not rule out local coalitions with Reform
Pic: LNP
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “At around 10.38am, two protesters from Youth Demand jumped over barriers at Tower Bridge and threw red paint on to the road.
“Marathon event staff intervened to remove the protesters from the path of the men’s elite race which was able to pass unobstructed.”
The force added that they were “quickly supported by police officers who arrested the protesters on suspicion of causing a public nuisance”.
The Met said the paint “appeared to be chalk-based” and was not expected to “present a hazard to runners yet to pass this point”.
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