Zane Gbangbola: Petition over boy's death handed to parliament

A petition calling for an independent panel inquiry has reached 117,000 signatures

A petition with 117,000 signatures which calls for a probe into the death of a seven-year-old boy has been handed to parliament.

Zane Gbangbola died in 2014 after his home in Chertsey, Surrey, was flooded.

His parents say he was killed by gases washed out of nearby land.

They disagree with an inquest in 2016 which said Zane's death was accidental, and are calling for an independent panel inquiry to be set up.

They told the BBC "we will fight until we get the truth".

Zane's family and campaigners marched from College Green to Downing Street to deliver the petition on what would have been Zane's 16th birthday.

Politicians including former Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, and former Green Party leader, Baroness Natalie Bennett, attended the march as well as officials from the Fire Brigades Union.

Zane's mother, Nicole Lawler, speaking at the march alongside politicians and union members

Zane's father, Kye Gbangbola, who was left paralysed by the same incident that killed his son, told BBC Radio Surrey that he missed Zane "every day", and that the campaign would fight on "until we get the truth".

He said: "I think the fact we're nine years on and the truth's in plain sight should worry everybody. The domain of the independent panel inquiry is to conduct the proper investigation."

Kye Gbangbola was left paralysed during severe flooding in Chertsey, Surrey, in 2014

In the 2016 inquest, Zane's death was attributed by the coroner to carbon monoxide poisoning from a petrol-powered pump used to clear floodwater. His parents insist this was not in use.

They believe he was poisoned by gases washed out of the Chertsey dump during the 2014 floods.

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