The murder of a 17-year-old girl in the Midlands shocked the local community – and as the killer was jailed for life, the Tamworth Herald devoted seven pages of news, features and pictures to tell the full story.
Backgrounders including interviews with detectives on the case, details on how the killer, Michael Chidgey, was snared, stories on his previous convictions and moving interviews with her family and friends filled the paper.
The Herald was also singled out for praise by the police for its part in encouraging witnesses to come forward and help spread public awareness of the tragedy,
The man who led the murder hunt, Det Supt Peter Hall, said: “An essential part of any major investigation, and particularly a ‘stranger murder’, is to maximise every opportunity to gather information.
“The media, with rare exceptions, were endlessly helpful and gave the incident widespread coverage over an extended period of time.
“I am grateful for that assistance and offer particular thanks to the Tamworth Herald, which was a shining example of police-media co-operation at its best.”
Editor Sam Holliday said: “Heather Tell was more than just a murder victim and next week, in conjunction with the Tell family, we will produce a special two-page pictorial feature to celebrate her short but very happy life.”
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