THE mother of the five-year-old boy who ran for help when seven-year-old Shaun Smith fell into the Leeds and Liverpool Canal has spoken for the first time about her young son's ordeal.

The 24-year-old mother-of-three opened her heart on the day Shaun, of Gloucester Avenue, Whitebirk, Blackburn, was due to be buried.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said her son was having nightmares about what happened and had been taunted about his part in the tragedy.

The woman, who was due to visit the chapel of rest with her son before the funeral, said: "My son does not really understand what is going on.

"He and Shaun played together every day. When they were looking for him in the canal he said to me: 'Mummy, if they find Shaun and get him out they can make him better can't they?' He still doesn't understand his friend is gone. "He is having nightmares and he has been clinging to me; he doesn't want to go out at all. He has also been very upset about the things people have said to him.

"One person asked him if he had pushed Shaun into the canal, although a great deal of people have been very kind and supportive.

"Shaun's mum and dad Lynne and Robert have said they don't blame us at all."

The woman was shopping in Blackburn's Tesco supermarket on the day Shaun drowned but had already left by the time her little boy ran into the store to find her. She said he caught her up as she made her way home.

"He was crying and thought he was going to get into trouble for being on the canal. They had both been told they were not to play down there.

"When he told me Shaun had fallen into the water we ran back. I was hysterical and he was crying too. "A couple of men on the bank jumped in while I shouted to some people in B and Q to telephone for help."

She went on: "I feel terrible for Lynne and Robert, guilty but at the same time I cannot help but feel relieved too because I'm glad my son is all right."

Shaun's mother Lynne confessed she was dreading today as she prepared to say goodbye to her son.

She said: "It is going to hit me very badly as well as the rest of the family who are all devastated too.

"Over the last couple of days I have felt like time is running out with every minute and I don't want to seal Shaun's coffin up because while he is in the chapel of rest I can see him and touch him and when it is closed he will be gone forever.

"I know there will be a grave to tend it won't be the same." The family want to thank people who have tied hats to the bridge in Harwood Street where Shaun was pulled from the canal last Tuesday after a baseball cap left on the bank by his brother David was stolen.

Lynne said: "It is such a touching gesture. We were desperate to get the original cap back because we wanted to put it in Shaun's coffin along with some toys and other things because it is very special to us, but when we saw those other caps there we were very touched. It was a lovely thing to do."

David, 17, went on: "I was gutted but I would like to thank those people too."

Shaun was to be buried at Pleasington following a service at St Judes Church.

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