Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Football club's tribute to young fan

Birmingham City has paid tribute to Arthur Labinjo-Hughes who was killed by his stepmother and father.

Hundreds of fans marched through the city to St Andrew's singing the six-year-old's name before the match against Cardiff City.

When the fans arrived at the stadium they laid wreaths and flowers.

The club has also renamed its family zone Arthur's Area and said it will be "a fun-filled space for young supporters to enjoy prior to kick-off".

Emma Tustin was jailed for 29 years for murder and child cruelty and Thomas Hughes was given 21 years for manslaughter after killing Arthur in June 2020.

March organiser Tony Routley said the case had "touched everyone's hearts".

He said Birmingham City was a "family club" and "we wanted to make people see we cared".

Birmingham City said it had decided to rename Fridays Family Zone and call it Arthur's Area after seeing photos of a smiling Arthur in a Blues shirt.

It said the photo "depicts a smiling, happy boy wearing a Blues shirt, and we as a Club will strive to keep that memory alive in people's hearts and minds forever".

A giant flag and memorial bricks will also be placed outside St Andrew's stadium to remember the young Blues fan.

And the club have contacted a local stencil artist called Disney to decorate the newly renamed area, which will also contain information points from local children's charities to help tackle child abuse.

Other plans to permanently remember Arthur include a memorial garden, the club added.

The match programme for the Cardiff game featured Arthur on the front cover, with £1 from each sale going to children's charities in Birmingham.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street tweeted: "It says so much about our city and region the way everyone has come together in the face of such tragedy and heartbreak."

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