Tomasz Oleszak: Murdered teen's friends want Gateshead street lights

(Left to right) Corben, Frankie and Jack are campaigning for street lighting along a pathway in memory of their murdered friend

Friends of a teenage boy who was murdered have called for better street lighting on the estate where he died.

Tomasz Oleszak, 14, was stabbed at a popular meeting spot known as The Lines in Springwell, Gateshead, in October.

Since his death there has been a community campaign by Youth Focus North East to reduce knife crime.

Gateshead Council said it could not comment on the petition until a consultation closed but said safety was of "upmost importance".

One of Tomasz's friends said getting lights along the community walkway could "save a life".

Frankie said he fondly remembered Tomasz as an "amazing footballer" and someone he could talk to for "hours and hours".

The 14-year-old said: "Everyone who walks down The Lines when it's dark doesn't know what could happen, who is in front or who is behind.

"Sadly, something happened to Tomasz, so getting it lit could save a life."

Another of Tomasz's friends, Corben, added: "We just want street lights all the way down here to brighten it up a bit and keep crime away."

Frankie and Corben want to improve the area for the local community

On the pathway is a commemorative bench bookended with angel wings and opposite a memorial created by the young people.

Corben said: "It's been quite hard over the last couple of months but all of us have just been keeping our heads up and we keep going."

The teenagers, who found out about the stabbing on their messaging group chat, were brought together by Youth Focus in the aftermath of Tomasz's death, meeting once a week in the Springwell Community Hub.

Tomasz Oleszak was a keen footballer

Frankie said: "The day he died I don't think anyone thought it was true, it was devastating.

"Tom was the nicest kid you could ever meet, with the most contagious smile and he could always make you laugh, even on a bad day."

Youth worker Sam Logan was deployed to the area by Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Kim McGuinness in response to Tomasz's murder.

"It became clear there was no youth provision in the Springwell community and it was needed because the young people just wanted a safe space, where they could go to chill out, relax and be themselves," Ms Logan said.

"We managed to get funding but that money is coming to an end. What we really need is for somebody to invest in the young people because they are doing something good for their community."

A street art-style mural on the Springwell estate was created in memory of Tomasz Oleszak

The youth workers say provision for young people across the region has been a casualty of budget cuts and the coronavirus pandemic.

A survey in 2021 by Ms McGuinness found a 75% fall in local authority spending on youth services in the Northumbria Police area since 2011.

Youth worker Megan Stratton said: "We are listening to what the young people say and we will take it forward.

"They don't believe the street lights will be installed but we are getting many signatures."

The unlit pathway is a popular meeting place for young people

Gateshead Council said it could not comment on the street lighting petition until the deadline for consultation closed on 15 June.

A spokesperson for the authority said: "We want to reassure young people in Gateshead that their safety is of upmost importance to the council.

"Government funding has been drastically cut to children's services over the last 15 years, leading to the closures of youth centres and a rise in youth crime nationwide.

"We recognise that this is having a huge impact on our communities, and we are always looking at ways to support access to youth services locally in collaboration with our partners, including by applying for new grants and funding for social action projects."

They urged any young person concerned about knife crime to get in touch with police or the council's Youth Justice Services.

Jack, 14, said: "People walk through The Lines every night in the dark and you don't know something might happen to you - sadly it happened to one of our close pals."

Along with the rest of the group, he has been working on the community garden in honour of Tomasz, where a memorial bench will be painted purple, which was his favourite colour.

"It'll be a sad place but good too, cos you'll be able to sit here and talk about him."

The teens said being part of the youth group had "made everyone closer"