The Harrow and Wembley Observer Series in north west London has pulled off two national coups in the space of a week.

Last week, the Harrow Observer won its campaign for a pardon for Private Harry Farr, shot at dawn as a coward in the First World War.

This week, the Wembley edition secured an exclusive interview with the brother and sister of the Stonebridge triple murder victims killed in revenge for a drug deal that went wrong. The pair came out of hiding to give a vivid and tragic account of their ordeal since the shooting.

The year-long campaign to win a pardon for Private Farr was supported by readers who sent the then Defence Minister John Reid hundreds of letters urging him to clear the soldier’s name.

Other story ideas from the Observer included escorting his daughter to the National Arboretum in Staffordshire, which features the only permanent memorial to the ‘shot at dawn soldiers’.

Reporter Benjamin Parkes, who was responsible for the campaign, also accompanied the 93-year-old to the High Court to support her during her legal battles and secured an interview with the Minister for Veterans Don Touhig.

Benjamin said: “Having spent more than a year nurturing the relationship with Gertrude Harris, and the rest of her family, the Observer was welcomed in with open arms. Gertrude even asked me to field calls from national journalists while she cooked her dinner.

“It was a privilege to be part of the story and make a contribution to such a widely supported and important campaign.”

Observer editor-in-chief Lindsay Coulson said: “This is a fine example of how local journalism can work better than any other news media.

“The reporter formed a solid relationship with Private Harry Farr’s daughter, taking time to understand the issues that were important to her and intrinsic to the campaign.

“The family’s victory, backed by our newspaper, had national and international resonance and reverberated around the world.

“Rarely do we have that much impact but we always knew that this was a worthy and respected cause.”

Reporter Ciara Hill met the brother and sister of the Stonebridge triple murder victims at a secret location on the outskirts of London.

The siblings spoke in depth about the loss of their two sisters and stepfather in revenge for a drug deal alleged to have gone wrong. They also discussed how they have had to go into hiding to get away from the clutches of the gang believed to be responsible for the killings.

Clara said: “This exclusive coverage is the result of consistent and sensitive reporting in the Observer which was appreciated by the family.

“Paulette and her brother were very honest and open throughout the interview and it felt like I was providing a much-needed opportunity for them to tell their story. I am proud of the article and pleased that two people in hiding felt confident enough to trust me with their story.”

The scoops come hot on the heels of the Observer securing an interview with former Iraqi hostage, Norman Kember, a feat which could not be matched by any national newspaper.