Friends of Tomasz Oleszak campaign for street lighting where he was fatally stabbed in Gateshead

Tomasz Oleszak was 14 when he was stabbed in Gateshead Credit: Family handout

Friends of teenager Tomasz Oleszak, who was stabbed and killed in a Gateshead nature park, are campaigning for street lighting in the area.

Tomasz, 14, was with friends at Whitehills Nature Park, Springwell, when he was attacked on 3 October 2022.

15 year old Leighton Amies, who was 14 at the time of the attack, was found guilty of his murder and of attempting to commit grievous bodily harm by slashing another boy's coat during the incident.

Tomasz's friends have launched a petition calling on Gateshead Council to install street lighting in the area where he was killed.

The area, known as the Lines, has no lighting.

Young people from the Springwell Estate have been working with charity Youth Focus North East on a social action project to help prevent knife crime.

The area, known as the Lines, is a walkway used by the whole community.

Tomasz's friend, Nidal Hijazi, said: "Not only does it lighten up the place and brighten up the area, it also helps us as a community, knowing that some things could be prevented by lights."

Another friend, Lewis Weightman, added: "With lights on the Lines, which is the area where Tom was attacked, it's going to be a lot safer and things like this can be prevented, because we don't want anyone else to go through what we've been through."

The petition is available to sign on Gateshead Council website until 15 June 2023.

Gateshead Council will consider the petition when it closes.

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