This week (29 July 2025) marks the one year anniversary of the Southport tragedy, where three young girls were murdered, and many others were fatally injured, in a dance hall in Merseyside.

In the press, these anniversaries are golden opportunities to revisit a large and highly sought-after news story. But they are also hazards for retraumatising the victims and families involved.

Southport, as a tight-knit community, has been trying to come to terms with this tragedy and restore its reputation as a family seaside destination, says Andrew Brown, owner of the community news project Stand Up For Southport, and a journalist with 25 years of experience reporting on the local area, on our podcast.

Read more: 'My colleagues helped me through the hardest story of my career'

On the anniversary of the tragedy, he invites journalists to come back to the area and tell the story of how the community is getting back on its feet. There's been plenty of progress made, amongst all the pain and heartache.

"There's an incredible enthusiasm in Southport that we want people around the country to come back and see what a beautiful town this is," he explains,........

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