Chloe Mitchell: Book of condolence to open at Derry City and Strabane Council

The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane Council is set to open a book of condolence for Chloe Mitchell.

The 21-year-old went missing in Ballymena on 2 June and just over a week later a man was charged with her murder. A second man has been charged with assisting an offender.

Members of the public will be able to sign the book at the Guildhall from 3pm on Friday.

Vigils were held in Ms Mitchell's hometown and outside Belfast City Hall earlier this week.

On Thursday evening, Derry City and Strabane Council unanimously backed a motion that a book of condolence should be opened in Chloe Mitchell's memory "to allow the people of Derry and Strabane to show their support to her family and reject the abhorrent violence that took her life".

Councillors also agreed to write to the prime minister to outline the council's support to ensure that the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy is delivered in the absence of an executive at Stormont.

Mayor Patricia Logue said the news of Chloe's death "has sent shockwaves through our City and District".

“Everyone in our community has the right to feel safe and as a society we must do everything we can to protect women and girls from any form of violence," she added.

“The Book of Condolence is an opportunity for the public in Derry and Strabane to show solidarity with Chloe’s family and express our sympathy to them at this unimaginably difficult time.”

For those who can’t come to the Guildhall in person, it can be signed online here: https://www.derrystrabane.com/ Subsites/Mayor/Mayor/Mayors- Book-of-Condolences

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