Telford man's death still a mystery 25 years on

A memorial service to mark the 25th anniversary of Liam Wright's death will be held in Telford on September 12.

Mr Wright was 19 years old when he died in the suspected arson attack on a shed at Madeley Ski Centre on September 10, 1990.

His mother Faith, who now lives in Spain, will be returning to Telford for the celebration of his life in Madeley.

Mr Wright's sister, Deborah Mason, has also helped organise the non-religious humanist service at The Venue in Hills Lane Drive at 2pm, and the family is inviting old friends and neighbours to attend.

His old school friends were also invited to attend, and there will be readings from the family, as well as music from the Abraham Darby Band.

Mrs Mason said there had been an excellent response from people who knew Liam.

"I am feeling quite emotional and overwhelmed by the response," she said.

"We are both overjoyed that we will all becoming together to celebrate and remember Liam."

They say they remain devastated by the nature of his death and the fact that the circumstances around the tragedy remain a mystery.

"It still remains a mystery how Liam died," said Mrs Wright, who was living in Ketley Grange at the time of Mr Wright's death.

"The family live in hope that one day, the person or persons responsible for Liam's death will be caught."

A Facebook page Liam Wright RIP xx 10 September 1990 has also been set up in his memory.

Mr Wright's charred body was found in the debris of the wooden hut at the dry ski slope at Madeley Court Centre.

He had been on a night out at the Cuckoo Oak pub in Madeley, and was later seen in a Chinese takeaway in the town's High Street.

Police never found out why Mr Wright, who lived in Birchmore, Brookside, was in the building.

"He was seen in Madeley walking past the Miners Arms towards Madeley," said Mrs Wright. "But he should have been going the other way to get home to Brookside."

Following a report in the Shropshire Star, a woman came forward saying she had seen Mr Wright chased into the shed by a gang of youths.

An inquest held the year after Mr Wright's death recorded an open verdict, leaving his family without any answers about his death.

A television appeal in 1998 also led to a number of people coming forward with information.

Mrs Mason re-traced her brother's last steps on the 20th anniversary of his death in 2010, and later received an anonymous letter about his death.

The same year a man in his late 30s was arrested on suspicion of murder, but he was released without charge.

The teenager had been working as an electrical engineer at Lockwell Electrics in Stafford Park at the time of his death.

His employer at the time, Steve Ash, said: "Liam was a smashing lad. I had employed him four or five months before his death.

"He mixed in really well with everyone and he was doing great here.

"He picked up things really quickly and was very bright. He had got his whole future ahead of him."

Mr Ash had raised the alarm when Mr Wright failed to turn up for work on the Monday morning.

He heard a description on the radio of his personnel effects, including his ring with his initials of LW on.