Bathpool Park

Bathpool Park is a public park in a rural area between Newcastle-under-Lyme and Kidsgrove, Staffordshire (near the border with Cheshire). The park became notorious in 1975 as the location for the murder of Lesley Whittle.[1] Lesley's body was found hanging from a steel wire at the bottom of a shaft in the park. Lesley fell or was pushed by a killer known as the Black Panther, Donald Neilson. Neilson was sentenced to life for Whittle's and four other murders, eventually dying as a prisoner in December 2011.[2]

In 1977, a feature film about Whittle's murder, entitled The Black Panther, was released. Parts of the film were shot on location in Bathpool Park.

Bathpool Park is owned and managed by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.

References

  1. ^ "1975: Kidnapped heiress found strangled". BBC News. 7 March 1975. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
  2. ^ "Murderer Donald Neilson, the 'Black Panther', dies". BBC News. 19 December 2011.

53°04′41″N 2°14′31″W / 53.078°N 2.242°W / 53.078; -2.242

Stub icon

This Staffordshire location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.