Reporter. Shortlisted by Society of Editors & O2 as reporter of the year. Work
@LiveLancs
amy.fenton
@reachplc
.com Occasional associate lecturer
@sheffhallamuni
“Nothing will ever stop me wanting to be a journalist. It was my dream from the age of eight. I love that we can champion people’s causes and fight for decency and morality and fairness, even if there is never anyone fighting for us.”
“IT’S BONKERS”: “If you’re a burglary victim the police don’t bother but if you call someone a name on Twitter they’ll come round and kick your door in” says
@UKIP
leader
@GerardBattenMEP
I’ll be off work for a little bit... my brave mum passed away peacefully yesterday. She was only 54. She was so strong and stoic, never complained or felt sorry for herself. I miss her so much and my heart is breaking but she’s at peace now
Today at Manchester Magistrates’ Court Leroy McCarthy was jailed and given a restraining order after he threatened, on Facebook, to rape me - because of my job. Massive thanks to Patrick Furey & Claire Ikin from
@gmpolice
and Phoebe Mallinson from
@barrowpolice
for their support
The jury rule Barrow terrorist Ethan Stables DID intend to massacre people at a gay pride event at the New Empire pub using some of the weapons and explosives found in his flat
Two weeks before my mum died she lost her wedding ring. I’ve never stopped looking for it and it’s haunted me since she died. Today I found it buried in a pile of socks in a drawer! Think I traumatised poor Abigail with my scream of delight when I saw it!
Jury in the trial of Ethan Stables will this morning continue to consider their verdict. The jurors have been told they must decide whether Stables was preparing to carry out the attack or if he was a fantasist who got carried away
Staying off Twitter for a bit. I’ve done what any self-respecting reporter would do. But I will NOT tolerate anyone threatening my daughter. I’m now under police protection. Ppl who have threatened me (eg attached) need to know - this is not acceptable. It is illegal.
I’ve been overwhelmed by the response to the article written by the amazing
@helenpidd
in today’s
@guardian
Each and every one of you who have shown your support have made such a massive difference - you have helped me and you have strengthened my resolve to keep doing my job
“Nothing will ever stop me wanting to be a journalist. It was my dream from the age of eight. I love that we can champion people’s causes and fight for decency and morality and fairness, even if there is never anyone fighting for us.”
Terrified bar staff recall armed police swarming inside the New Empire as Ethan Stables headed towards the venue. "They said they were going to secure all the exits and when they told me a threat had been made it was just an 'oh my god' moment."
Incredible news from Royal Preston Hospital where crash victim Ruth Thomas has woken up and wished her mum a 'Happy Birthday' after being in a coma for two weeks
@ConstableChaos
You know what, I might not be born and bred in Barrow, but this town has won my heart. I’m fiercely defensive of it, the first to fight its case, and above all else I bloody love this place. I’ve been here over 10 years and couldn’t be prouder to call somewhere my home
I’ve never heard such rubbish in my life. You weren’t saying this when you were barking your racist nonsense through a megaphone and demanding I explain myself were you Tommy Robinson? What a load of nonsense this is. And I do have evidence of what you said and did at the time
Urology consultant
@peter__duffy
, who worked at
@UHMBT
2001-2016, is volunteering in the NHS 111 call centre in his spare time, taking calls from ppl concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s unable to leave the Isle of Man because of quarantine and travel rules. Lovely guy 😘
Massive thank you to the thousands of journalists, trade union officials, and others for their support for myself, my colleagues and my little girl over the last week - it’s kept us going and strengthened our resolve to keep doing our job
🚨 Big news alert 🚨 After working freelance for them for the last nine months I am delighted to reveal that as of today I am a permanent employee with Reach and the
@LiveLancs
team!
BBC Radio Thank you to my bosses, my employer, national and regional journalists, industry leaders, UK and global news channels/publications, politicians, and strangers who have contacted me in support
@NUJofficial
@journalism_news
@helenpidd
@BBCDomC
Peter Cunliffe from Barrow has been charged with threatening to shoot me after I did my job correctly and accurately reported court proceedings. Cunliffe will appear in court on December 14th
Peter Cunliffe from Barrow, who threatened to shoot me, was yesterday jailed for 22 weeks. He was also given a two-year restraining order preventing him from contacting me. The sentence and restraining order is welcome; glad it’s now been concluded.
Thumbs up 👍🏻 for mum who’s now starting to breathe spontaneously on her own! Still on life support but down to 35% oxygen from the ventilator - once it gets to 30% the consultant is going to try taking her off it and waking her up.
One year ago today, at 6.36am on Sunday September 16th 2018, I held my mum’s hand and told her “you don’t need to worry anymore”. She never complained, never wallowed in self-pity, never wanted sympathy. She wasn’t “frightened of dying” she just “didn’t want to”. She was 54.
Mum’s oxygen levels are now up to 96% (unbelievable!) and she’s only on 6ml of NORadrenaline and 40% oxygen from the ventilator. Making incredible progress - a far cry from the grim prognosis we were given just three days ago. And I swear she’s been responding to my voice 💕
Positive news from the Royal Preston Hospital where a young woman was taken after a horrific crash near Grizebeck. Donations to the
@GNairambulance
have flooded in after the woman's dad
@ConstableChaos
made an appeal on Twitter
My heart is breaking. My mummy is critically ill in intensive care with pneumonia and is on a ventilator. She’s only 53. Please help me pray for a miracle. We really need one ❤️
Amazing news this week... a company interested in the publication of my book have now backed it and it’s in the final stages! A very well-known and respected industry expert has agreed to write the foreword. So now I’ll be focusing on it full-time... watch this space!
The family of a young woman who was put in an induced coma after a car crash have released a series of pictures showing her in happier times
@ConstableChaos
I can’t comprehend people who have zero empathy... Broken foot, single mum, work full-time, bad car crash on Friday and I get ZILCH. Despite that I ring & show sympathy to ex-in law whose dog has died yet they showed none when my mum died. At least this is unconditional 💕
The best news today - mum should be moving from intensive care to a ‘normal’ ward tomorrow! She’s eating solids (just yoghurts for now til her swallow reflex improves) but more progress! Mad to think two wks ago today she was in resus and we were told she would probably die.
Perhaps I’m just cynical (although that’s exactly what journalists should be) but I can’t help but wonder if the case of Ethan Stables would have been covered more extensively nationally and internationally had he been a Muslim threatening to attack white people. Or vice versus.
Seven years ago today I persuaded
@fmuamba6
to come to Barrow in light of the campaign to install defibrillators across the town. A great day
@jonnylwriter
Today I’m 34 years old. Exactly 20 years younger than my mum was when she died. I don’t want to celebrate today, I just wish she was here; my first birthday since she died - the first time in 34 years (believe it or not 😉) that I won’t get a card from her.
Fantastic news today 👍🏻 Mum is more awake and now talking! Still a long way to go and she’s very distressed and panicky but that’s understandable when you’ve been on life support for 9 days.
Thanks to the incredible care from consultants Iain and Rob and all the nurses at
@EastLancsHosp
Critical Care Unit who have saved my mum’s life. I’ve been blown away by their dedication and attentiveness and I owe them everything. Thank you 💕
I’m not sure I have ever seen such sensationalistic rubbish from my so-called ‘peers’ who claim to be genuine reporters... these ridiculous national newspaper journalists who write one article a week, spout utter nonsense and pose for photographs like this.
More positive news from intensive care. Mum’s oxygen levels have stayed at 93/94% all day, they’ve halved her NORadrenaline requirements (to keep her BP up and reduce how much work her heart needs to do) and other stats looking good. Thank you all so much for your support 💕
Just 12 months ago I wrote this. We sat & cried together as Stacy told me how scared she was knowing her little girl, the same age as my daughter, would grow up without her. Stacy became my friend; our daughters played together. Last night this brave woman died at the age of 39.
Why does everything else seem to be normal when I feel anything but? I feel so lonely even in a room full of people and my heart constantly feels like it’s going to burst it’s beating so fast all the time. Why did my mum have to die so young? I feel like a child but it’s not fair
Heading up to the hospital shortly, been up since 430am cleaning mum’s house, fingers crossed she wakes up today. And I just wanted to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to each and every one of you who have supported me. You know who you are 💕
Criticise my work but don’t EVER criticise my ability or commitment as a mummy. I won’t stand for it and neither would Abigail. I have given, and will continue to give, my life for her and set the best example I can so she grows up to be happy, independent and intelligent 💕
Well FGH it’s been a blast, as always, but I couldn’t possibly let my little girl celebrate Christmas without me. Thank you to the doctors and nurses who let me go home with some strong antibiotics so I didn’t have to stay in. You’re all amazing ⭐️
This AMAZING guy in Barrow does this as a hobby. He deserves more recognition. This incredible pebble picture he made for someone to give me as a birthday present, representing a picture of my mum, is something I’ll treasure forever. His page:
The woman who sent me these messages has now been dealt with by Staffordshire Police. She has accepted a community resolution and has apologised for the distress she caused me.
This was published in the paper just two days before my mum died. I’ve not really been able to look at it since then. But it was a lovely holiday and my mum really enjoyed it
Today I delivered a HUGE amount of snacks, sweets and drinks to the incredibly hard-working staff at FGH. See tomorrow’s paper for more details
@UHMBT
Thank you to the patient who donated this radio to Critical Care at Royal Blackburn Hospital. Mum is now managing to initiate 100% of her breaths all on her own (still on life support) and we’re sat listening to
@SmoothRadio
Hopefully have a go at coming off ventilator tomorrow
It’s still not sunk in. Watching videos of my mum from just a few months ago... Where is she now? Where is her spirit, her soul, her personality? Where is this person? She was fifty bloody four. 54. Life can be so cruel.
Just had a call with
@DCMS
minister
@JWhittingdale
about what’s been happening to me. John was really helpful and supportive and invited me to speak to a select committee of Home Office and DCMS ministers, and senior police officers, looking at protection of journalists.
Just met with the consultant. He’s impressed with progress & response to treatment & hadn’t expected her to improve so quickly. And the best thing: a lung cancer specialist has said she might be able to have some treatment - not curative but something that will prolong her life.
Sometimes people seem more inclined to give negative feedback more freely than positive so I always make sure to give credit where it’s due. The staff on Ward 1 FGH
@UHMBT
@aaroncumminsNHS
are incredible and I meant every word of this 👌🏻
Today mum has been sat up in the chair and allowed to go to the toilet! She’s talking quite a bit but still classed as suffering from post-sedative delirium. Massive improvement in the last 24 hours but still a long way to go
Heads up for my followers: The Mail newspaper will look different from Tuesday as we move onto Newsquest’s publishing software (images will look much sharper) and our website will also look very different (much better, more user-friendly and no more spam!)
Leroy McCarthy, 25, whose case I covered when he was jailed for vowing to blow up a hospital, has today been charged with (and has admitted) threatening to rape me and appeared in court in Manchester. I’ll find out the outcome tomorrow
@AnthonyLeone
@journalism_news
I’m not an especially sentimental person and it’s only after these things happened that I discovered the perceived significance of them... the day my mum died a little white butterfly kept circling round me... then last night this feather floated down onto me 💕
Me and Abigail absolutely LOVED our boat trip to see the Walney seal colony with Piel Ferry. It’s been so popular they’ve extended their season to the end of this week. £10 each. Available 12-3pm from the pier. Search Piel Ferry on Facebook but no need to book 🚤🏰
My heart is breaking... mum’s notes from when she was in hospital. Four days before she died she wrote: “I’m not frightened of dying I just don’t want to die.”
Reunited 💕One of the hardest things (and believe me - it’s all been pretty tough!) has been being away from my little mini me. I didn’t think she was ever going to let go of me when she cuddled me when I walked into nursery!