Mother unveils memorial as child-safety law named after her slain sons

On the anniversary of the 2014 fire that claimed Jack Sykes, 12, and Paul Sykes, 9, their mother Claire Throssell revealed a permanent memorial outside the Farr Centre in Worksop, a project raised by Nottinghamshire Women’s Aid. The white stone sculpture, shaped like hands holding a heart with angel wings, also includes a butterfly plaque commemorating 66 other children murdered by abusive parents over three decades. Attendees such as Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones, Justice Secretary Alex Norris, and MP Jo White expressed solidarity.

Throssell, a domestic-abuse campaigner, highlighted the upcoming "Jack and Paul’s Law" - a provision in Labour’s Courts and Tribunals Bill that would require judges to prioritize a child’s best interests over a default presumption of parental involvement. The legislation has passed the Commons and is due before the House of Lords, bringing her long-standing campaign one step closer to fruition.