Lucy Letby: Community's rage as 'smiling girl' becomes child killer

Lucy Letby was convicted of murder and attempted murder while working as a neonatal nurse

The community where the UK's most prolific serial child killer grew up say they are shocked and enraged by her crimes.

Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six other infants at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

The 33-year-old neonatal nurse has been given 14 whole-life sentences.

Those from her childhood neighbourhood in Hereford say they have been left feeling despair, confusion and pain.

Letby deliberately injected babies with air, force fed others milk and poisoned two of the infants with insulin.

She will now spend the rest of her life behind bars, becoming only the fourth woman in UK history to receive such a sentence.

As a child, the serial killer attended Aylestone School where she was described as a 'normal happy smiling child'

• ‘Cruel’ Lucy Letby to spend rest of life in prison

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The disgraced nurse grew up in the city with her parents John and Susan and attended Aylestone School before going on to Hereford Sixth Form College.

Neighbours on the street where she grew up described her as a "normal happy smiling child" and say they feel "desperately sorry" for the parents of the babies she killed and injured.

Letby's mother and father are said to be well-liked by the community.

The Archdeacon of Ludlow, Fiona Gibson, says churches will be open as a safe space for those affected by the tragedies

"This is one of those moments of unspeakable tragedies when we are having to face the unthinkable," said Fiona Gibson, the Archdeacon of Ludlow.

She added: "Within the city and across the whole country, people are feeling anger, despair, rage, shock, grief, confusion and pain.

"At a time like that, when words aren't enough, the church offers the opportunity to hold all of those emotions up before God, silently in prayer, or hold them in your thoughts.

"Many of our churches will be open for people to go in and think, pour out those emotions and light a candle if that helps, or to say a prayer."