'Quiet' Kimberworth Park is a community strong in resolve that's persevering after recent events

The eyes of the nation have been firmly locked on Rotherham for the last week or so.

The town has once again been the centre of every national news outlet since last Sunday (July 19)

The arrest and charge of the suspected murderer of former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe almost 300 miles away in her Devon home sent shockwaves through the whole country.

But those shockwaves were felt more intensely on the Kimberworth Park estate than almost anywhere else.

When a Bryley Road property was initially cordoned off, the country’s media were there in a flash to speak to neighbours and send up the drones. Forensics in white suits searching bins were the shot of the day.

This quiet, unassuming part of Rotherham and the people who live here don’t tend to court the limelight, so when the nation’s media camped on its doorstep for the best part of a week, it was a change from the norm.

With its rabbit-warren like streets and endless cul-de-sacs and dead ends, it is an estate very much of its time. Built in the 1940s and 50s, it has undergone many transformations since then and is now a place of fierce local pride. It seems like everyone knows everyone, except perhaps for the murder accused, 28-year-old Joshua Kerry.

One local business employee on shopping precinct St John’s Green, which houses Staniforth’s Bakery, a Morrison’s Daily and a charity shop among other retail units, told me she felt like because the suspect wasn’t really known to anyone locally, it had been easier for people to move on.

She said: “Other than the national reporters coming in, you wouldn’t really have known it was going off.

“There’s no negativity about it, trade hasn’t been harmed.

Another worker added: “Nobody really knew him, all you hear is ‘did you hear about that across the road?’”

She added that the community was “getting on with it” and because the crime took place a long distance away, she felt that allowed people to not get too worked up by it.

An elderly resident who was perched on a wall outside the nearby St John’s Church spoke of growing up in Kimberworth Park, describing the area as usually “quiet” and continuing the theme of people persevering through adversity.

He said: “Nothing like that ever happens up here.

“People on the estate keep moving around so I don’t know too many people but it’s usually just quiet, people getting on with their days.”

He was keen to impress that in almost 60 years on the estate it is the last place he would expect something like this to happen.

Another business owner not too far from the main shopping square spoke of a lack of clear information making them feel nervous, but ultimately the situation being out of their control.

As the story unfolds and more details are released, the country will start looking away from Kimberworth Park.

But for the people and businesses that remain here, there’s no doubt that life will continue much the same as it was before.