Warrington bombing: 30-year anniversary
Two young boys were killed and dozens of people were injured when the IRA detonated two bombs in the town centre
Last updated 20th Mar 2023
People will come together in Warrington today to remember the victims of a bombing, which happened in the town 30 years ago.
Two young boys, 12-year-old Tim Parry and 3-year-old Jonathan Ball were killed in the blast on the 20th of March 1993 when the IRA (Irish Republican Army) detonated explosives on a busy shopping street in the town centre.
56 other people were injured after the bombs, which had been placed in bins on Bridge Street, blew up one minute after another.
As part of the town's remembrance in this 30th anniversary year, there will be an event in the town centre starting at 12 noon and concluding at 12.45 pm, with a one-minute silence at 12.20 pm
Colin Parry, the father of Tim Parry who was killed in the bombing, reflected on his son's passing 30 years ago, telling us, "We spoke to the specialists at Walton Hospital who, after seeing Tim gave us his honest opinion about his chances of survival."
"He said, 'I estimate them 25%.' Which actually sounds terrible, but in light of the fact we were advised he was unlikely to live by Saturday night, they actually sound quite optimistic."
Tim died from his injuries five days after the blast when the decision was made to turn off his life support machines.
Colin continued: "The day he died, I was with him on the bed. They disconnected the various things that were connected to him and he died in my arms basically. All of that I can really live kind of frame by frame."
In the years after the blast Tim's parents set up the Tim Parry, Jonathan Ball Peace Foundation.
Colin said: "With that money, we'd raised and in collaboration with the NSPCC, we combined resources and built a 3 million pound peace centre which is still there now of course, and that's the physical proof that something good has come out of this awful event."