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| Tributes to IRA bombing victims | Tributes to IRA bombing victims |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A memorial event has been held to remember those who were killed and injured in the IRA bombing of Warrington town centre 15 years ago. | A memorial event has been held to remember those who were killed and injured in the IRA bombing of Warrington town centre 15 years ago. |
| Tim Parry, 12, and Johnathan Ball, three, died and 56 people were hurt in the two explosions on 20 March 1993. | |
| Survivors joined the boys' families, town leaders and community members to lay white lilies at the scene. | |
| Among the dozens attending the ceremony was Tim's brother Dominic, 29, who took his six-month-old daughter Olivia. | |
| Mr Parry, who was 14 when his brother was killed, said: "We think about Tim every day, we think about what kind of boy he was and what kind of man he would have become. | |
| "I've brought Olivia, even though she is only six months old, because I want her to know about her uncle and what has been achieved in his name." | |
| Quite why they chose this town was beyond comprehension - I didn't know then and I still don't know now Colin Parry | Quite why they chose this town was beyond comprehension - I didn't know then and I still don't know now Colin Parry |
| Rev Steven Kingsnorth, of the Warrington Borough Ministry, led a moment of reflection before the flowers were laid at the site on Bridge Street. | |
| He said: "We remember those who died, those who were bereaved and those who, by working together, brought great hope out of devastation." | |
| The two bombs, which had been placed in litter bins, went off as shoppers packed the area, many looking for Mother's Day gifts. | |
| Johnathan had been in the town with his babysitter to buy a card for his mother. | |
| Tim, an avid Everton fan, had been shopping for football shorts when he caught the full force of the blast. He died in hospital five days later. | Tim, an avid Everton fan, had been shopping for football shorts when he caught the full force of the blast. He died in hospital five days later. |
| Lilies were laid at the blast scene in the town centre | |
| Despite one of the biggest murder investigations ever launched by Cheshire Police at the time, the bombers have never been caught. | Despite one of the biggest murder investigations ever launched by Cheshire Police at the time, the bombers have never been caught. |
| On Thursday, a police spokeswoman said: "Two boys lost their lives that day, no-one was brought to justice and our files will always remain open." | On Thursday, a police spokeswoman said: "Two boys lost their lives that day, no-one was brought to justice and our files will always remain open." |
| In the aftermath of the bombing, Tim's father Colin Parry set up a charity, the Foundation for Peace, which runs educational programmes. | In the aftermath of the bombing, Tim's father Colin Parry set up a charity, the Foundation for Peace, which runs educational programmes. |
| Known locally as the Peace Centre, it has also acted as a support service for people bereaved, injured or traumatised in trouble linked to Northern Ireland. | |
| Mr Parry said: "There was absolutely no reason why a town such as Warrington should be hit by the IRA. | Mr Parry said: "There was absolutely no reason why a town such as Warrington should be hit by the IRA. |
| "Quite why they chose this town was beyond comprehension. I didn't know then and I still don't know now." | "Quite why they chose this town was beyond comprehension. I didn't know then and I still don't know now." |
| Despite being forced to deal with the tragedy of losing his son, Mr Parry said the bombing had a "significant" impact on the peace process in Northern Ireland. | Despite being forced to deal with the tragedy of losing his son, Mr Parry said the bombing had a "significant" impact on the peace process in Northern Ireland. |
| "I think it was that event in Warrington that compelled the Irish government to sit down with the English government in a way they had never considered before," said Mr Parry. | "I think it was that event in Warrington that compelled the Irish government to sit down with the English government in a way they had never considered before," said Mr Parry. |
| "That's when change began to happen and all of that, in my opinion, was changed by Tim's and Johnathan's deaths." | "That's when change began to happen and all of that, in my opinion, was changed by Tim's and Johnathan's deaths." |