Mothers march against gun crime

Anton Hyman was found shot and stabbed last year

Mothers campaigning against gun crime from across the UK have held a march in memory of a teenager shot and stabbed to death.

Anton Hyman's body was found in the River Brent at Greenford, west London. His killers have not been caught.

The 17-year-old's parents, Vanessa Hyman and Delroy Elliott, attended the event, which ended in Acton Park.

A Mothers Against Murder and Aggression spokeswoman said the march was also to remember 400 other murder victims.

Dee Edwards said: "We have looked after 400 families in 12 years who have lost someone to murder and almost everyone of those murders involved guns."

'Off our streets'

She said judges were letting families down by releasing those convicted of gun crimes after as little as eight years.

Metropolitan Police Detective Inspector Anthony McKeown told marchers he believed a gang had been responsible for Anton's death.

Mothers Against Guns campaigner Michelle Forbes said: "Some of these young people carrying guns, they have a low self esteem.

"They don't know how to discuss things, they just pull the trigger...They have no respect, they just shoot. We need to get these people off our streets."

About 150 campaigners marched from Brent River Park, Uxbridge Road, opposite Ealing Hospital, to Acton Park about four miles away where speeches were made.

Put the guns down. Then hopefully it will save somebody's life Vanessa Hyman March to find Anton's killer

Anton's father said they wanted to create a greater public awareness about the dangers of gun and knife crime.

"There's a lot of people with their heads in the sand and we want to bring these people's heads out of the sand," he said.

Before the march, Ms Hyman placed red and white ribbons on the fence of the park to symbolise love and peace.

£20,000 reward

"The killing has to stop," she said. "Put the guns down. Then hopefully it will save somebody's life."

She is also hoping the event will prompt someone to provide information about the case.

Anton, from Acton, west London, was found in the River Brent in nearby Greenford by a passer-by in March last year.

He would have turned 19 on Sunday.

Police said he was slashed across the neck with a knife, shot in the back and stabbed in the heart.

Police have offered a £20,000 reward for information which helps lead to a conviction. Nine people arrested in connection with the murder were released on police bail.