Murder and Accident

Homicides are at something like five times the levels of post-war Britain, despite the enormous improvements in medical technology which save many who fifty years ago would have died.

But there are other deaths which may not have happened fifty years ago, but won't go on the homicide stats. Fifty years ago the lifebelts wouldn't have been stolen and the Barrett family might still be alive.

A man had to run 300 yards and climb over obstacles to get to a lifebelt to save a drowning family in Scarborough, an inquest heard.

It took passer-by Chris Bailey five minutes to reach a lifebelt because the nearest one had been stolen days before the North Bay tragedy.

By the time he got back to the slipway from where Kim Barrett, 33, and her two children Aimee, 13, and Luke, 11, were swept into the sea it was too late.

Nearly 50 are stolen from Scarborough each year.

I mentioned the other day the large number of shootings in South London which don't make the headlines.

This one did. It's interesting to contrast the BBC and Guardian editing of the story. For the Guardian the council is obviously the main problem in the area.

Guardian :

Vicky Idiegbe, from the Wood Dene Project Community Group, said: "We've been fighting the council to make changes for a long time ... the lights don't work, and everything is hidden behind trees.

"There is no police presence at all. It's got to the point now where at night I just lock myself in the flat and am too terrified to go out."

BBC :

Vicky Idiegbe, from the Wood Dene Project Community Group, said: "Many of the flats are becoming derelict and are now being filled up by squatters and junkies, the lifts don't work and people are scared to walk around at night.

"It's got to the point now where at night I just lock myself in the flat and am too terrified to go out."

Guardian :

"The atmosphere had actually been really good until that point, with everyone just chilling out outside," said Stacey, 25, who did not want to give her surname.

BBC :

Eyewitness Stacey, who preferred not to give her surname, said: "Now everyone on the estate is scared to go out. There are old people here who are terrified.

"Who knows if these people will come back - where will the bullets go next?

"To be honest, Saturday's shooting just isn't a surprise, there is so much trouble round here - there's been shootings, stabbings and rapes."