“At night, you can’t see in front of you”
Carolyn Cox, mum of Ellis Cox and auntie of Ellis, Julie O’Toole campaigning for more lighting on the Loop Line(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
A family say they struggle to sleep at night after their teenage relative was shot dead close to a popular walking and cycling route. The Liverpool Loop Line, also known as the Ralla, is a 10-mile path along a disused railway line in Merseyside.
Traffic free for visitors and commuters, the popular route once belonged to British Rail but was abandoned in 1986, later being converted into a cycle path. It runs all the way from Halewood to Aintree. However, the Loop Line hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in the summer of 2024.
Ellis Cox, 19, was shot dead late on June 23 2024, close to the Loop Line on the Liver Industrial Estate. The teenager headed out earlier that evening to go on a bike ride with four others on the Loop Line.
On their way back home, they were approached by “one to three males on two electric bikes” at around 10.50pm.
One of the group on the electric bikes opened fired three shots at Ellis’ group. Ellis, on a pedal bike, had attempted to leave the scene but was shot in the back. He was just minutes away from home.
Detectives have made six arrests in connection with the murder but no-one has been charged, with Ellis’s family and Merseyside Police citing a wall of silence from the community as being responsible for the lack of progress.
Another complexity is the Loop Line itself. Parts of the path are heavily overgrown and dimly lit. There wouldn’t have been many people using it late on a Sunday night when Ellis was shot and the suspects were not captured on CCTV.
The next stage of the Cox family’s campaign will take place on Friday November 28. The family will be handing out leaflets on the Loop Line.
Parts of the path are incredibly dark at night(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
As well as keeping the case in the public eye and raising awareness about the £20,000 reward for those who come forward with information about the murder, the family say they want to make the Ralla safer by installing more CCTV and lighting.
They hope this will prevent perpetrators of violence using the route as an easy way to escape.
The Loop Line is managed by the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, formerly known as Sustrans. The organisation says it is working closely with Merseyside Police on the best way to “improve perceived safety”.
Speaking to the ECHO about her concerns, Julie O’Toole, Ellis Cox’s auntie, said: “The 28th is actually about talking about the Loop Line and any concerns people have about the Loop Line itself.
“It’s to raise awareness on ideas they have to make it safer. We want our community to come and help us.
“At night, you can’t see in front of you. It’s frightening. It’s so dark that the Uber drivers have to wear lights on their heads. We know the police are working with Sustrans and giving recommendations on what needs to change.
“We want to know what the community thinks as well. The charity very much stands by the claim that it’s a safe green space.
Friends and family calling for information about Ellis Cox’s murder by the Loop Line last year(Image: Liverpool Echo)
“It’s about making it safer. I’ve been asking for what3words to be added, so that people can be located by police and crimes can be recorded more accurately.”
What3words is a tech company who use three different words to represent every location on the planet. It is designed to make it easier to find people than using complicated grid co-ordinates.
Julie said a recent incident showed the importance of CCTV. She said: “Not so long ago, some boys on electric bikes with their balaclavas on were hanging out by (Carolyn’s, mum of Ellis) at the entrance to the Loop Line.
“Then they spotted the CCTV on her house and went away. They stopped and spotted the CCTV. That diverted them away and stopped them going down the Loop Line.”
“We just want to do our part. We are feeling positive about the investigation. It doesn’t take away the devastation we feel. It does keep us awake at night. We could walk away, but why bother? If it can happen to Ellis, it can happen to someone else.”
Julie also raised concerns about wider criminality in the area. Back in September, three teenagers found a sawn-off shotgun with live shells while playing at the Rice Lane recreational ground, a five minute drive and 10 minute walk from the Loop Line.
When asked for a response to Julie’s concerns about the Loop Line, Walk Wheel Cycle Trust said: “Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (formerly Sustrans) manages the Liverpool Loop Line which forms part of the National Cycle Network. We were saddened by Ellis’s death on the Liver Industrial Estate.
“The safety of all people using the Loop Line, and the National Cycle Network more broadly, is a priority for us. We work closely with local councils and the police, and the Loop Line is no exception.
The managers of the Loop Line say they are working with Merseyside Police on the best ways to improve safety(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
“We have a strong relationship with both Liverpool City Council and Merseyside Police and are in regular dialogue with them.
“We have engaged with the police to determine the most helpful actions that can be taken and will be evidence led in any response.
“The Police are going to share a list of suggested measures to improve perceived safety on the Loop Line
“We’re determined to engage with this as quickly and effectively as possible and will work with our partners to secure funding to implement these measures.”
Neighbourhood local policing Sergeant Ben Sherrington said: “We have met with Ellis’s family and discussed their safety concerns around the Loop Line.
“One of our architectural liaison officers, who is responsible for looking at how we can help ‘design out’ crime, has been in consultation with the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (formerly Sustrans) to look at what feasible improvements can be made.
“Walkabouts and leaflet drops have taken place and a number of CCTV cameras have already been introduced in key locations to deter criminality.
“As always we would ask members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity so we can take action.”
The leaflet drop will take place on the Loop Line between 11.30am and 4pm on November 28.
You can visit a dedicated web page to submit information or footage which can help in the investigation of Ellis’s murder:
You can also contact Merseyside Police via social media @MerPolCC or call 101. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting reference 24000554719.