Some of the traditional stories of neighborliness are impractical or silly, and it may be just as well that our relations with our neighbors are changing.
He had recently started a neighbourhood-watch scheme and he frequently called the police to report everything from potholes to people he thought might be involved in a spate of burglaries.
I know from speaking to the victims and survivors of these terrible events how vital the love and support they have received from their friends, family and neighbors has been to them as they begin to rebuild their lives.