Calls to cancel grim anniversary gathering for killer Raoul Moat in Northumberland

Locals in Rothbury are urging people to stay away amid reports that fans of killer Raoul Moat are planning to mark the 15th anniversary of his death with a boozy gathering next week.

Moat shot himself on July 10, 2010, after the UK’s biggest ever manhunt, during which he killed one man, seriously injured two others, and sparked a national media frenzy.

Previous years have seen people drinking, playing music, and leaving tributes at the site where he died, now a wildflower patch near the River Coquet.

Residents and councillors say the attention is unwanted and that the village is trying to move on. Northumbria Police say they will respond appropriately if a gathering takes place.