Celebrities have backed a regional daily’s campaign to end the criminal code of silence on its patch as it fights for justice for a dead girl.

The Liverpool Echo has demanded an end to a so-called “‘anti-grass’ culture” in parts of the city it serves after issuing a direct plea to those who know the identity of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel’s killer.

Since launching the campaign on Wednesday, the Echo has won the support of famous faces from Liverpool who have come together to record a video appeal with the newspaper urging those with information about Olivia’s death to come forward.

The video features famous faces from Liverpool including former footballers Jamie Carragher and Peter Reid, radio presenter and Echo columnist Pete Price, Olympic taekwondo medallist Bianca Walkden mixed martial artist Molly McCann.

The Echo covered the appeal on its front page yesterday

Labour politicians including Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson, and MPs Alison McGovern and Paula Barker also appear.

The appeal was featured on the Echo’s front page yesterday, accompanied by a photo of Olivia with two of her friends.

Olivia was in the chest at around 10pm on Monday while at home with her mother Cheryl after 35-year-old Joseph Nee, who was being chased, forced his way into their house.

The killer ran in after and fired a number of shots “with complete disregard for Olivia and her family”, who had no connection with the gunman or Nee.

Nee, a convicted burglar, has been detained in hospital and it is believed he will be recalled to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence after he breached his licence conditions.

In an editorial accompanying the video, Echo reporter Dan Haygarth wrote: “We are calling for anyone who knows anything about the killing of Olivia to come forward. Liverpool’s famous solidarity now needs to mean catching Olivia’s killers.

“People from across the region have come together to unite behind that message. Sending messages to the ECHO, the people of Liverpool have called for change after a week which has seen four people murdered.

“On the same night of Olivia’s death, Karen Dempsey was fatally stabbed in Kirkby. Sam Rimmer, 22, was shot dead in Dingle on August 16 and Ashley Dale, 28, was shot fatally in her own home in Old Swan on August 21.

“A nine-year-old child has become the latest victim of gun crime in this city. Enough is enough.

“If you know anything about the killing of Olivia, ask yourself: whose side are you on?”