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“That moment changed our family forever" - Johnathan Ball's cousin reflects

“That moment changed our family forever" - Johnathan Ball's cousin reflects <i>(Image: Supplied)</i>
“That moment changed our family forever" - Johnathan Ball's cousin reflects (Image: Supplied)

“I REMEMBER that day 30 years on, it will never be forgotten,” said Johnathan Ball’s cousin.

Nearly three decades have passed since the Warrington Bombing which took the lives of two innocent children, three-year-old Johnathan Ball and 12-year-old Tim Parry.

The two bombs hidden inside litter bins on Bridge Street exploded at 12.27pm on March 20 1993.

30 years on, Warrington has not forgotten the tragic events of March 20. And neither have the family of Johnathan whose lives have been changed forever.

Warrington Guardian:
Warrington Guardian:

Lee Van Dusen, whose family are ‘scarred for life’ from the bombing, spoke to Warrington Guardian to reflect on his last memories of his cousin Johnathan.

Johnathan's mum and dad, Wilf Ball and Marie Comerford, sadly died in 2004 and 2009, of a 'broken heart'.

“I remember that day 30 years on, it will never be forgotten,” said Lee who is from Sankey Bridges.

“I do think about it. I have never spoken about this to anyone before, I was 11 years old myself.”

On Friday evening before Mother’s Day, Johnathan and his dad Wilf visited Lee’s family home. This was the last time Lee saw Johnathan, but he says his last words to him will ‘haunt’ him forever.

Warrington Guardian:
Warrington Guardian:

Lee said: “I was up in my room watching the Blues Brothers and Johnathan came up.

“First thing he said to me was 'guess who, I’m here!'

“He sat on the bed for a while until he decided he had enough of watching, then he turned the tv off.

“I shouted 'mum can you come and get him'.

“My last ever words, which will haunt me forever, to Johnathan were ‘you won’t come into this room if you do that again’, then I said bye.”

The next morning, Saturday, Lee’s dad dropped him and his sister off at his nan’s house in Howley.

Warrington Guardian:
Warrington Guardian:

He was playing out when he heard a ‘big bang’ which he originally thought sounded like a loud firework.

“A little while later my nan came out and said ‘come inside, there has been an explosion in town’," Lee continued.

“She was worried and as the afternoon went on, my dad came to pick us up.

“I said ‘where is my mum?’ and he said with Marie because Johnathan is missing.

“I remember my dad taking the car home and me, my cousin, and dad ran to Warrington Hospital.

“I never knew what was going on until we got into a waiting room where members of the Ball family were.

“My dad left the room to find Wilf – what I found out after asking him is that he went with Wilf to identify Johnathan.

“That moment changed our family forever.”

Warrington Guardian:
Warrington Guardian:

Lee said 30 years on, his family still visits Johnathan’s gravestone at Fox Covert and they remain ‘scarred for life’ and are unable to talk about the day.

He has asked question upon question to find out more about the tragic events of March 20, 1993, and even spoke to a nurse who had seen Johnathan.

“Now it is 30 years on and there is still no justice," Lee told the Warrington Guardian.