Exclusive:We don't want any mention of the killers, this Blackpool vigil is to remember murdered baby Preston Davey

Blackpool’s incredible community is rallying together to organise a special vigil in honour of murdered baby Preston Davey, on the third anniversary of his tragic death.

It will be held on the evening of July 27 at the Comedy Carpet opposite Blackpool Tower.

Blackpool man Jim McMillan is organising the vigil and is reaching out to people to come forward with ideas to create a fitting tribute that will celebrate his young life.

Jim said: “I just want to do it, this is for him.

“I know there has been one in Preston but we need one in Blackpool too. Now the court cases are out of the way it is time - I’ve put it out there on Facebook to see if we can organise something.”

Preston Davey was 13-months-old when he was murdered by the man who was in the process of adopting him. The man he came to know as ‘dad’.

In less than four months after moving in with the ‘evil’ couple at their home in Staining Road, Staining, little Preston was sexually assaulted, physically and emotional abused, and left with 40 non-accidential injuries. He was taken to hospital three times. Social workers visited regularly. His abusers even admitted to having dark thoughts about him. And still, nothing stopped it.

Ex-South Shore Academy teacher Jamie Varley, 37, was given a whole life sentence for murder, child cruelty, sexual offences and indecent images relating to Preston. His now ex-partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was jailed for 25 years for allowing the death of a child, child cruelty and sexual assault.

“I’ve never done anything like this before,” said Jim, “I’m a normal every day man, but that little baby has been let down by everyone, so what do you do? All I want is for Blackpool people to get together to make it a nice thing in his memory.

“We don’t want any mention of his killers, it’s not a protest, no hate, no politics - there has been enough, this is purely for remembering Preston.

Jim, who is 64 and has a grown-up son, is hoping Blackpool Tower can be lit up in baby blue on the evening and if people want to hold a small candlelit vigil at the same time or if anyone has ideas about appropriate songs to sing, he would like to hear suggestions.

Preston’s life was cut short so tragically in the most horrific way by the people who were supposed to love him the most.

He has touched so many lives and the aim of the vigil is to provide a space where people can come together to ensure he is never forgotten.

There was an outpouring of love for him at the vigil held in Preston last week where people lit candles, held balloons, left teddy bears in his memory and stood in quiet reflection.

The Blackpool Gazette and sister title the Lancashire Post, backed by Blackpool South MP Chris Webb and Preston's birth parents Sarah Davey and Gary Nolan, are calling on the government to launch a national inquiry into the safeguarding failures that cost Preston his life.

So far more than 58,000 have signed the petition.

The question that has to be asked - and answered - is how a baby boy in the care of the state could be so badly let down by every system designed to protect him.

What is the petition calling for?

The petiton is calling on a nation inquiry to answer the following questions:

- Why were repeated warning signs - three hospital admissions, an abuser's own admission of dark thoughts, routine social worker contact - not acted on?

- Should children placed outside their home authority automatically be assigned a local social worker with direct oversight of their care?

- How are repeat hospital admissions for children in care shared between the NHS, the placing authority, and the authority where the child lives?

- Are adoption vetting procedures rigorous enough to stop prospective adopters hiding behind a false front?

We need you to sign this petition and demand the government acts.

Every child who comes after Preston deserves better too.

Join our calls for a public inquiry by signing our change.org petition here.