THE GREAT grandfather who thought of tragic Dillon Hull as the apple of his eye has died without seeing the boy's killer brought to justice.

Victor Procter suffered a heart attack and died in January, aged 81.

Dillon would often pop in to see Victor and his wife Evelyn at their home in Peel Close, Blackburn, after finishing classes at nearby Longshaw County Primary School.

And after he moved to Bolton, he regularly phoned for a friendly chat, to let them know how he was getting on.

Days after last August's shooting, Victor said: "He was the brightest little kid you could ever hope to meet. I just can't believe it."

Speaking at her home yesterday, Dillon's great-grandmother, Evelyn, remembered how Dillon loved to watch cartoons with her late husband.

Evelyn, 79, said: "We used to laugh, me and Vic. Dillon used to sit in the chair and refuse to have something to eat because he wanted his cartoon programme on. He was cartoon mad. He loved his motor cars too.

"He was a grand little lad. He was brainy and he could have made something of himself."

Evelyn said she had not seen Dillon's mother Jane since the child's funeral.

But Jane did send a photograph of Dillon, holding his new baby brother, Kody, for Christmas - a picture which now takes pride of place in Evelyn's lounge.

Evelyn, who is losing her sight, said not a day goes by when she does not think of Dillon.

"I think of him more now that I've lost Vic," she said.

"The poor child did nothing. I wish he was here now."

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