THE partner of tragic suicide man Stephen Tedesci today slammed Blackburn town centre bosses for failing to make improvements to its car park - a year after his death.

Jackie Maxwell, 37, has pleaded with chiefs to make suicide attempts from the town centre car park more difficult by stepping up security.

But today, after reliving the horror of his death - when a 17-year-old girl jumped from a ledge on to Debenham's roof on Sunday morning - she said preventative action had yet to be taken.

Now the mother-of-two, of Thornton Close, Higher Croft, Blackburn, has joined councillors in renewing an appeal to get something done.

She said: "I am furious to think that after all the cases of people attempting, or committing, suicide from the car park still nothing has been done.

"When Stephen died I was assured that more would be done to make it secure. There are nightclubs round there and people fight, and children walk around. It is just too dangerous. There could easily be higher security fencing."

The mother-of-two also considered taking her own life in the same way five months ago. She recalled how she walked up three flight of stairs and sat on the edge of the ledge. She said: "If I had just leaned out further, slipped or fallen, I would have been gone and our children would be without parents. It is just too easy."

Conservative councillor Paul McGurty has also appealed to town centre owners Reit for safety measures to be stepped up. He also suggested posters be put up for people to seek help from charity organisations.

Speaking after the latest incident, when firefighters rescued a girl who jumped 12ft injuring her leg, he urged the council to take a closer look at vulnerable areas of the car park and consider closing it after certain times.

London-based asset management company Reit bought the shopping centre in May from previous owners Standard Life in a deal which includes the car park.

Alistair Thompson, responsible for the Blackburn site, said: "While we have only recently been brought on board, this is an issue which has now been brought to our attention and we would clearly be looking at anything we can do. As the council still have the freehold for the car park we will be liaising with them."

Jackie and her son Conor, six, and Shanon, nine, are still trying to come to terms with Stephen's death on September 19, 2002.

"Conor started school on Tuesday and when all the other daddies were outside collecting their children he wanted to go up to his grave to tell him about his first day back. It is so hard to explain to a young child that their daddy is never coming back. With better safety, Stephen might still have been alive today."