Hundreds turn out for Charlie Cosser festival

Hundreds of people have attended a festival in memory of a teenager who was stabbed to death on a crowded dance floor.

Charlie Cosser, 17, from Milford, Surrey, was stabbed three times in the chest in a marquee at a party in Warnham, West Sussex, in July 2023.

Yura Varybrus was found guilty of his murder and having a bladed article. He was jailed for at least 16 years at Brighton Crown Court in June 2024.

Charlie's Festival, held on Saturday in Jubilee Field, Milford, was organised by Charlie's Promise, a charity set up in the aftermath of the teenager's death.

Charlie's dad, Martin Cosser, said it was the third such event and he believed about 500 people had been there.

He said: "This is our charity's way of giving something back to the community. He went to infant school, to junior school here... this was Charlie's home for his short life and was a massive part of his life.

"It has been a good day. There have been hundreds of people here."

Cosser said tribute acts had kept people entertained and other families who had lost members to knife crime had been in attendance.

He said members of the emergency services who had been among the first on the scene to help Charlie were also there.

"It's been very emotional," he said. "All the work I do is travelling the UK doing knife crime talks.

"This is just part of Charlie's legacy. Before we switched off his life support, I promised him I would spend my life educating people [about knife crime]."

Charlie, he said, would not have argued with anyone.

"He was so gentle and laid back. It was a real privilege to be his dad," he added.