Merseyside Police descend on Knowsley

Dear readers – thanks to all of you that came to The Post’s Christmas event with horror writer Ramsey Campbell on Friday. We had a brilliant evening, with St Michael-in-the-Hamlet Church providing an equally festive and gothic setting for our reading and Q&A.

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Catch up:

Over the weekend, David Lloyd published a heartbreaking and beautiful tribute to his mum. The piece focused on her love of local radio, and how he’s mourning its death — along with his mother’s. Nearly 50 of you left comments to express how moving the piece was. “Wasn’t expecting to be fighting back the tears when I started reading this! A beautiful, profound reflection on grief and the importance of connection,” one of you wrote. “Thank you, Dave, for reminding us of local radio's power to offer connection and, yes, companionship,” wrote another.

Losing local radio — and my mum

Merseyside stations soundtracked David Lloyd’s relationship with his mother. Now he’s grieving a double loss

The PostDavid Lloyd

Also last week: we published our final instalment for 2025 of the Big Help saga. In it, we revealed that councillor Colette Goulding and her partner, disgraced charity boss Peter Mitchell, rented a “luxury” flat in Gibraltar the same week they were declared bankrupt. The story got lots of you talking — with several readers ringing into BBC Radio Merseyside to question council leader Liam Robinson about Goulding’s position. “I can’t comment on something that is ongoing,” he told presenter Tony Snell.

The big story: Merseyside Police descend on Knowsley

Top line: Last week, Merseyside Police conducted one of the largest and most significant crime crackdowns in Liverpool, leading to nearly 50 arrests. Could it actually make a difference?

Context: Last Thursday, hundreds of officers from Merseyside Police descended on two Knowsley areas: Huyton and Stockbridge Village. Videos of the massive operation quickly began circulating online, shaky footage taken by stunned residents capturing around 60 police cars, motorbikes and vans speeding through the town.

The sting was part of Operation Vanguard: a long-term police plan to disrupt crime in Knowsley and its surrounding areas. In recent years, the supply of illegal drugs has caused an increase in pockets of violence — including shootings and stabbings — across Merseyside.

In 2020, Michael Rainsford, 20, was shot dead through his window in a Litherland gang-related attack by 18-year-old James Foy. Just over a year later, another young man, 17-year-old Joel Harvey, was arrested after a shooting in Croxteth and another in Old Swan.

However, it is not just those linked to organised crime that have suffered. In August 2022, 28-year-old Ashley Dale was killed by a sub-machine gun in Old Swan in a case of mistaken identity. That same month, 22-year-old Sam Rimmer was shot in Dingle, and later died from his injuries. A third murder that August further shook the city: Olivia Pratt-Korbel, a nine-year-old girl, was shot and killed in her Dovecot home. 

At the time, metro mayor Steve Rotheram called for “an end to this senseless violence.” “It’s clear that Merseyside’s communities are being plagued by gang violence and illegal firearms,” he said, “we cannot allow this to continue.”

Less than four months later, Elle Edwards was shot dead outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey, after gunman Connor Chapman opened fire.

What happened last week? Police raids in the wake of gang-related killings amped up three years ago, with dozens of individuals arrested in connection with organised crime and drug trafficking as part of Operation Miller and Athena, as well as search warrants and the seizure of firearms and ammunition. 

Last week’s Operation Vanguard, however, cast a wider net. From Thursday evening to the early hours of Friday, police executed warrants, conducted roadside checks, land searches and arrested a total of 49 people – for offences ranging from sexual and domestic assault to drink driving and criminal damage. Along with the arrests, police seized significant quantities of drugs, including heroin, cocaine, and other narcotics. They also confiscated large amounts of cash, and recovered buried gun boxes.

“I know the sheer volume of activity would have sent a very clear message,” Chief Constable Rob Carden said. “Criminals will have been left in no doubt that Merseyside Police will maximise all of the resources and tools at our disposal to root them out and bring them to justice.”

More to come? While the arrests represent a significant step, it is hoped Operation Vanguard’s impact will continue to extend beyond the events of last week. And, Merseyside Police have hinted this is only the beginning. “This day was clearly a huge, focused and targeted operation — but it was not a one off,” Chief Constable Carden added. “There will be more days like this.” 

Do you feel optimistic about the work of Operation Vanguard? Will it make a difference to crime in Liverpool? Let us know in the comments below. 

Your Post briefing

Liverpool’s oldest cinema is back — at least temporarily. Woolton Picture House had been open for 93 years when it closed in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, the historic cinema has remained shuttered. But a campaign to see it reopen means the venue is currently showing 12 days of Christmas films, before it closes again in preparation for a major refurbishment in 2026. Keren Leivesley attended the single screen cinema on 13 December, to watch the first film in the advent programme. She told the BBC that "It's our cinema and we'd like it back." Kevin Fearon, chief executive of Royal Court Theatre, has agreed a deal to buy the cinema from its current owner — but needs to raise £700,000 by next May to secure the site’s future. 

Wirral council is reviewing all bin collections as they scrabble for cash. This assessment is just the latest in a series of measures seeking to find areas where costs can be cut as the local authority resists bankruptcy. Also under review are day services for those with disabilities, and the running of leisure centres and libraries, which could be outsourced to private companies. The council blames rising adult care social costs for a projected £32.4m budget gap in 2026. Last year, the authority requested a £40m government bailout and another request for Westminster cash is expected soon. Council leader Paula Bassett said that since she took up the post in summer, she has “been clear” that “we will have to make some major changes to what the council does and how it does them. We are not afraid of taking the action needed”. (For more on Wirral council, read Abi's August report on how a multi-million pound regeneration plan collapsed amid fierce in-fighting among officials). 

Crimestoppers are offering a £20,000 reward to find the killer of a pensioner in Dovecot. Rose Johnston, 68, was found murdered at her Ancroft Road home on 4 October. She’d been assaulted and suffered a blunt force head injury. Merseyside Police are now appealing for anyone with information to come forward — and independent UK charity Crimestoppers are aiding the investigation with a financial reward of up to £20,000 for information the organisation receives that leads to the arrest of those responsible for the killing. “We know that people often stay silent if they know something about serious crime like this out of fear or because they don’t want to get involved,” said Gary Murray, North West Regional Manager at Crimestoppers. “But Crimestoppers offers a completely safe and anonymous way to speak up. We can’t trace your call or online form, and you’ll remain 100% anonymous. That means no comeback”. 

Post Picks

📹 Tonight, get your horror fix with Paraphysis Cinema. The community cinema group has partnered with grassroots collective People Versus TV to bring attendees a selection of short underground horror films, beginning with cult feminist classic Possibly in Michigan. From 7pm at artefact, more details here.

🎄On Wednesday, head down to Canning Dock for a bauble making session aboard a boat. The Daffodil is hosting Flower State’s monthly craft club, with participants creating their own festive decorations — with added prosecco to ease the process. From 6pm, tickets here.

🎵 If you really want to embrace Christmas cheer, on Friday St Julie’s Catholic Church Hall plays host to an evening of seasonal music with Stefan Wilkinson-Hill — and 10% of profits go to Dementia UK. From 7pm; bag your place here.

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Poem of the week

Christmas anon,

joy in the morning!

Hold bare, hold bare,

surprise and shiver.

In comes the frosty tide.

Crystals’ aplomb,

dew upon thawing.

Made fair, made fair,

settle and sunburst.

Out goes the frosty tide.

Charity gone,

ice on the awning.

Bite down, bite down,

sea, rime, and snowdrift.

In creeps the frosty tide.

Clarity shone!

Puncture the mourning.

Gold crown, gold crown,

sparkle and silence.

Out with the frosty tide.

— The Frosty Tide by Ryan Murphy

Ryan Murphy is a singer-songwriter and painter currently based in Chester. His poems and short fiction have been published by the Singapore-based blog, Eunoia Review, as well as Liverpool’s Bido Lito! Magazine and Urbanista Magazine.

Ryan’s paintings can be viewed on Instagram (@ryanmurphytube), and his lyrics can be heard by searching for his band, Hooton Tennis Club.