THE mum of a boy killed in a fight has spoken of her heartbreak after vandals attacked his grave.

Last week, the Echo told how yobs caused £750 damage after trying to remove a marble football from the headstone of Ryan Daly.

Mum Angela, 47, said the ball may now have to be removed permanently from Ryan's grave at the Sandy Lane Cemetery, West Thurrock.

Angela, of Moore Avenue, Grays said: "It's disgusting, I'm absolutely devastated.

"It's bad enough that Ryan's in the grave in the first place.

"To get the ball off they are having to stand on his grave, I don't even stand on his grave and I'm his mum. I shouldn't have to remove it, that ball is a symbol to my boy, he was football crazy."

Police are still hunting the vandals and have upped patrols around the cemetery.

Ryan died on his 19th birthday on April 2, 2005, after he got into a row with Iain Sellers, 17, from Barking, his brother James Sellers, 18, Nicky Drew, 19, and his mother Gillian Smith, 38.

He was hit in the face with a plank of wood which caused him to fall and hit his head.

Iain Sellers was jailed for three-and-a-half years for man-slaughter - James Sellers and Drew each got three months, Smith received a three-month suspended sentence.

Anyone with information about the vandalism, which happened between 11.30am on Friday and 7.30am on Monday, can call police on 01375 391212.