High-profile mothers including Carrie Johnson, Ellie Goulding and Olivia Colman have written to the Prime Minister calling for a national public inquiry into the 'catastrophic failure' to protect murdered toddler Preston Davey.

Backing a petition so far signed by almost 100,000 people, they are among leading figures asking Sir Keir Starmer to set up a 'thorough and transparent' probe into the 'heartbreaking' series of missed opportunities to save him.

Calling for urgent action, signatories including the 38-year-old wife of former PM Boris Johnson, multi-million-selling singer Ms Goulding, 39, and Oscar-winning actress Ms Colman, 52, say: 'The question that confronts us now is simple: how could this happen?'

The letter is also signed by Sherwood star David Morrissey, an ambassador for domestic violence charity Refuge, and campaigner Paula Hudgell, adoptive mother of Tony Hudgell, who had both legs amputated after abuse by his birth parents as a baby.

It follows an outpouring of horror since 'evil' teacher Jamie Varley, 37 – who was in the process of adopting the 13-month-old - was ordered to spend the rest of his life in jail for sexually abusing and murdering Preston.

His partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was jailed for 25 years for allowing Preston's death and participating in a sickening sexual assault on the infant. 

Curly-haired Preston was taken from his birth mother, herself a convicted murderer, at just five days old.

'Instagram-ready' dads Varley - a former head of year at a secondary school - and his ex-public schoolboy boyfriend portrayed themselves as doting parents capable of giving Preston a second chance at their Blackpool home.

Yet in the weeks before the 'happy, bubbly' toddler's death, there were a string of warning signs.

The infant was taken to hospital three times in quick succession, including with suspicious bruises and a broken elbow.

Meanwhile Varley told a colleague he was having 'dark thoughts' about suffocating or drowning the boy.

He was also seen by a 'battery of professionals' and police were even called in the weeks before his death.

But tragically no one raised the alarm before he was murdered by Varley on July 27, 2023.

A local safeguarding review is examining the tragedy.

However the campaigners say only a national inquiry with power to compel witnesses to give evidence can address fears of UK-wide weaknesses in child protection.

Key concerns include the fact social services in Blackpool were not involved in monitoring Preston as he had been taken into care by counterparts in Oldham, nearly 50 miles away.

Other issues campaigners want addressing are adoption vetting procedures, plus the way in which repeat hospital admissions involving children in care are shared with the authorities.

The letter calls on the PM to establish 'a full, statutory national public inquiry into Preston's death and the wider safeguarding failures it may have exposed across the country'.

The signatories say: 'Like so many people across the country, we have been horrified by what has emerged about Preston's short life and tragic death.'

Mrs Johnson and Ms Goulding told the Daily Mail: 'As mothers of young children, we are utterly heartbroken by Preston's story.

'We cannot stop thinking about the many opportunities there appear to have been to recognise the danger he was in and save him.

'We welcome the child safeguarding practice review, but we believe a statutory national public inquiry is needed to understand whether these failures go beyond Preston's case and to help ensure no other child is let down in the same way.'

Mrs Hudgell said: 'As the adoptive mother of a child who suffered horrific abuse, I have seen first-hand the devastating consequences when vulnerable children are failed by the very systems meant to protect them.

'We need a statutory national public inquiry to establish whether the failings exposed by Preston's death exist elsewhere and to ensure the lasting changes needed to better protect vulnerable children.'

Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott, who has also signed the letter, said Preston was 'failed by every safeguard that should have protected him'.

'Simply seeking reassurances is not good enough,' she added.

'Lessons must be learned properly and no child should ever be let down in this way again.'

The petition was launched by the Blackpool Gazette with backing from Blackpool South Labour MP Chris Webb and Preston's birth parents, Sarah Davey and Gary Nolan.

Saying the 'outpouring of support' for a public inquiry had been 'overwhelming', Mr Webb revealed that the PM had now agreed to discuss it with him.

'We owe it to Preston and every child at risk to establish exactly what went wrong and what must change to ensure this can never happen again,' he said.

'That is why a full statutory national public inquiry is now essential.'

In response to the letter, the Government said it had 'brought in the most far-reaching child protection reforms in a generation' as well as introducing a new Child Protection Authority.

'An independent review has been commissioned by the local authorities and the independent national Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel will work with them to get to the bottom of this horrifying case,' a spokesperson added.

• To sign the petition, click here