Crimefighting mum

The devoted mum simply could not believe her eyes to see the place where she had grown up had turned into a haven for drug users and criminals.

The Murphy family turned their home which they had bought from Deborah's parents into Fort Knox to deter thieves from breaking in.

It was then that fed-up Deborah decided that she wanted to take a stand against criminals and help give the estate back to the people.

Deborah said: "There were druggies, needles on the ground, neighbours were going mad but were terrified to go out. No one was talking to one another and people were living in fear. We blocked up the back garden because we did not want thieves breaking into our home. Something had to be done. I didn't want my kids to grow up in a climate of fear."

The mum-of-four, was thrust into the spotlight when she became spokesman for Wigan Road residents who opposed plans to build flats on the Marsh Playing fields, directly opposite her home, back in 2001.

Deborah said: "I was incensed when I heard about the proposals. I thought how can they build on one of the only green spaces left in Leigh? I had never been involved in community work before but I was not going to lie down and let them build on Marsh Playing Fields. Where would all the kids play?I spoke to people who agreed with me but they said what could we do?"

Up to 72 people crammed into her home when she organised a public meeting to discuss the plans. She started a petition which was signed by 3,000 people and appeared on radio stations Century FM and Wish FM to save Marsh Playing fields from being developed.

Her campaign was a success when the scheme was rejected by planning chiefs.

Deborah was then approached by Homewatch, where she helped residents set up homewatch schemes across the estate to cut down on crime.

She became chairman of Westleigh Risk Management and began to re-establish links between residents and the police.

Deborah became involved in a campaign to install alley-gates at Wigan Road's many alleys, which were being used by thieves as an escape route.

"We had seen an article about residents in Liverpool who installed alley gates to stop thieves from breaking into their homes. We thought what a fantastic idea. We got funding from Twin Wards for an alley gate which we installed at a hotspot but within four or five hours it was taken down by council workmen because of legal difficulties.

"The legal problem was that the alley ways were classed as public rights of way and we needed to get them classed as unadopted by the courts to enable us to install the alley gates. We began fighting with Wigan Council and I went to meeting after meeting. Nobody would talk to me about alleygates."

She was boosted in her fight when Myra Whiteside was elected a councillor two years ago. The pair have since struck up a rapport and are currently working on a host of community projects.

Cllr Whiteside, said: "When I was elected councillor I rang Deborah and arranged to meet up with her. I told her to put the kettle on, we sat and she told me what she was working on and we just hit it off from there. We both sing from the same hymn sheet and want the same things, a better community to live in."

Deborah is a member of the Community Safety Township Forum, a community project in Westleigh, joint chairman of Firs Renewal and governor of St Peters Junior School.

But despite suffering set-backs in her community work, Deborah believes that Wigan Road today has improved but there is still a great deal of hard work ahead.

She said: "Wigan Road today is not as bad as it was five years ago. There are a lot of positive people around who just like me want their area to be free of crime and a safe place for the children to grow up. The more successful we have become the more work we have found needs doing. I have not achieved this on my own, I have great support from residents, Councillor Whiteside and my husband who helps to fund all my costs which go with being a volunteer.

"I have made so many contacts now and I'm not about to stop. There is still too much hard work to be done and so much more to achieve."

Leigh MP Andy Burnham paid tribute to Deborah's work.

He said: "Deborah is an absolute inspiration. Other people would have been put off by all the set-backs that she has encountered but she has never given up. It's her determination which have got her positive results for the community.

"It's absolutely vital that people like Deborah take part in their local area. Fortunately we have a lot of people like Deborah in Leigh who give up their time to help improve the community."