Aspiring journalists mark 25 years since Jill Dando's murder

Jill's brother Nigel told Ben McGrail she was an 'inspirational figure'.

Aspiring journalists have joined together at the former school of Jill Dando to mark the 25th anniversary of her death.

The TV presenter was murdered on her doorstep in London on 26 April 1999.

She grew up in Weston-super-Mare and Worle Community School set up 'Jill Dando News' in 2017, aiming to train young people to create positive stories.

Jill’s older brother Nigel said: “Jill has been an inspirational figure, not least for all the students involved with the news centres which bear her name."

Since 2017, Jill Dando News has expanded across Somerset to other Priory Learning Trust settings.

It trains up real-life journalists to find, write and post positive good news stories, with training by professional journalists including Nigel Dando, Fiona Bruce and others from BBC, ITV and Sky News.

Their positive stories are posted to the Good News Post online newspaper and then to the wider media.

Olivia Finch, now 19, was the first ever Jill Dando News reporter then aged 12 at Worle Academy, and is now studying to be a doctor at Bristol University.

Olivia said: “Jill inspired us from day one with her life. Jill Dando News is a fitting, expanding legacy for Jill who really was ‘the smiling face of Britain.”