Parents' trauma as son dies after railing collapse

Parents' trauma as son dies after railing collapse

Joshua Robbins moved to London from Claudy in Northern Ireland to live with his father and "seek opportunity"

Parents of a 23-year-old man have said they were "traumatised" when their son fell from the fifth story of a block of flats in central London when balcony railings gave way.

Joshua Robbins' mother, Fiona Jane Garrett, released a statement explaining her son had leant against the railings of the Holland and Thurston Dwellings in Holborn on Thursday evening, in order to see if a pizza delivery had arrived.

The railings, located on a communal hallway balcony, gave way and Joshua fell to his death.

Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association (ISHA) told the BBC it was "fully cooperating with the police and their investigation".

Boards were quickly installed across the communal balconies following the alleged railing collapse

The housing association added it was "too early" to comment further.

Joshua's mother said his father Will saw the immediate aftermath of his son's fall.

"It's something no parent should ever have to see. He is deeply traumatised by what he witnessed.

"Our family is absolutely devastated. We have lost our son.

"We should not be planning a cremation. We should not be waiting for pathology reports. We should not be writing statements like this or trying to navigate trauma and bureaucracy at the same time.

"Yet here we are."

Speaking outside Holland and Thurston Dwellings, neighbour Trudy Howson, said other residents were traumatised by what had happened

Garrett described her son as a "happy, go-lucky young man who loved life," and had "a smile that lit up every room".

Within the statement, the parents said they were "seeking answers" to what happened.

Flowers for Joshua Robbins have been left outside the gates of the flats in Holborn

Chief executive at ISHA Pippa Fleetwood-Read said Joshua's death was "deeply saddening", and sent "sincere condolences" to his family and friends.

ITV London was shown a letter sent to residents following the fall, in which residents were asked not to "touch or place any weight on the railings," until investigations had been completed.

It also advised residents the evening after the incident that scaffolding would be going up around the building "as a precaution".

The top floor balcony with the original railing and attached orange planter can be seen on Google street view before the incident

The Metropolitan Police told the BBC it was called to Newton Street, on Thursday 29 January at about 20:20 GMT after reports of someone falling from height.

The force said police and paramedics treated Joshua but "sadly, despite the best efforts of the emergency services, he was pronounced dead".

An investigation is now under way and officers appealed for anyone with any information to come forward.

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