THE murder of Brianna Ghey shook Warrington to its core in February.

Upon hearing the news that a 16-year-old had been killed in our town, I feel it is safe to say that all of our blood ran cold.

This is not something that we would expect to happen in Warrington, or anywhere, for that matter.

Warrington Guardian: Brianna was murdered in Culcheth Linear Park on February 11Brianna was murdered in Culcheth Linear Park on February 11 (Image: Supplied)

Across the Warrington Guardian's coverage of the murder of Brianna Ghey, there has been a tricky balancing act.

Everyone wants to know as much as they can find out about this case, and there is a unique fascination with Brianna's teenage killers, who cannot be named until they are sentenced in February.

That is only natural because the extent of the planning that went into Brianna's murder is astounding. The court heard, for example, of Girl X's obsession with serial killers, suicide, and torture.

However, reporting proceedings sensitively and respectfully has been at the forefront of our coverage from the very beginning.

Amid all of the shocking details to emerge from the courtroom over the 18-day trial, we must not lose sight of the most important event; a child lost her life.

Brianna was just 16 years old.

She was murdered after being lured to a park by someone she considered to be a friend - tragically, the prosecution confirmed that Brianna would have been scared and in pain when she died.

Warrington Guardian: Vigils were held across the country in memory of BriannaVigils were held across the country in memory of Brianna (Image: Newsquest)

Brianna's story has impacted us all in one way or another.

The town came together in the wake of her death, with vigils held in Culcheth and the town centre, and Brianna even being immortalised in the artwork displayed on one of the walls in a town centre tunnel.

By all accounts, Brianna was a funny, energetic, and larger-than-life character.

Her headteacher at Birchwood Community High School, Emma Mills, has confessed that Brianna was not the perfect student, but how many 16-year-olds are?

The bottom line is that a teenager has had her life brutally ripped away when she had her whole future ahead of her.

We should not lose sight of Brianna's loss amid mass interest in the mindset of her teenage killers.

It's important that we remember Brianna for the person she was, and not how she tragically lost her life.

The Peace in Mind campaign has been created between Brianna's mother, Esther, and the Warrington Guardian to give Brianna the legacy that she deserves.

To find out more about the campaign, or to donate, use the following link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/briannagheymemorial