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'We're backing our best mate'
FRIENDS of a Fleetwood father say they lost their "best mate" when he was falsely accused of being child killer Jon Venables.
David Calvert fled town in 2005 after neighbours claimed he was one of the murderers of Liverpool toddler James Bulger.
The father-of-four is in hiding after threats to kill him resurfaced this week.
With the help of The Gazette, friends Sammi Scales, Kerry Carlyle, and Rob Gregory, who used to spend most of their spare time with Mr Calvert in Fleetwood, have tracked down the 27-year-old.
Miss Carlyle, 29, of Bloomfield Road, Blackpool, said: "We met Dave when we were at The Base in Blackpool, which is a centre to help young people without homes or jobs.
"We used to see each other through the hard times, and eventually Dave moved to Fleetwood, and so did I. We used to spend nearly every evening having a laugh.
"When neighbours started a ridiculous rumour he was Jon Venables it was terrible, he received death threats and withdrew into himself. Then one day in 2005, he was gone."
Mr Calvert's problems started five years ago when he admitted to neighbours in Fleetwood he had served four months in prison for fraud.
Suspicions began about the Liverpudlian, whose only link to Venables was his age, hometown and the fact he had served time in prison. He claims he was told to leave town or he would be stabbed.
FOR THE FULL STORY SEE FRIDAY'S GAZETTE.
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Weather for Blackpool
Monday 13 February 2012
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