Family to create memorial garden at site where Heysham toddler lost his life in gas explosion

The family of George Hinds, who lived at 18, Mallowdale Avenue in Heysham, have submitted a change of use planning application to Lancaster City Council for a memorial community garden for him.

The design drawing of the proposed memorial garden features gates at the entrance to the community garden and a covered seating and exhibition area.

As you go further into the garden there is a black metal arch with flowers beds and trees to each side.

There is then a circular water feature with a gravel surround, and then brick and timber benches encircling the water feature to allow quiet contemplation.

Further into the garden there is a moss covered area with stepping stones, a willow tunnel with bark path, and planting areas with bark paths.

In the left corner there is a corner concealed with acrylic mirrors lining a timber fence with a ‘secret door'.

Next to this corner there is another timber bench and raised sleepers to a planting bed.

In March this year George’s family launched an appeal for volunteers to help create a memorial garden for him.

A new Facebook group ‘George’s Forget-Me-Not Garden’ was set up and George’s nanna Janice Studholme appealed in the group for landscape gardeners, project managers, tradesmen, refreshment staff, volunteers or anyone willing to give a couple hours to help.

On the Facebook page it was recently posted that the land of the explosion site was cleared which was ‘a massive step forward and is going to be the beginning of something beautiful.’

Emergency services scrambled to Mallowdale Avenue in Heysham, at around 2.30am on May 16, 2021, after residents were woken by the sound of a blast.

George was killed instantly and his parents Stephen, 41, and Vicki, 42, were injured but were discharged from hospital along with another couple, police said.

In October 2022, Darren Greenham, 45, was sentenced to 15 years after pleading guilty to George’s manslaughter.

No date has been set for the planning application number 24/00604/FUL to be decided on.