Max told me he wanted to sleep, he was so pale.The pain was unbearable, my heart ripped out...

Families of machete horror pals tell of their pain at sentencing

- KELLY-ANN MILLS

THE mother of one of two boys hacked to death by a mob in a case of mistaken identity has told of the agonising moments as she watched his life slip away.

Max Dixon, 16, had gone out to get food with friend Mason Rist, 15, when the gang-fuelled by "bloodlust" and armed with machetes, zombie knives and a baseball bat - pounced.

Antony Snook, 45, who with four teenagers was last week convicted of their murders, was yesterday jailed for life, with a minimum of 38 years.

Riley Tolliver, 18, and boys aged 15, 16 and 17, who cannot be named, will be sentenced in December.

Speaking at Snook's sentencing hearing at Bristol crown court yesterday, Max's mother, Leanne Ekland, recalled cradling him as he lay fatally injured on the pavement.

Ms Ekland said: "I sat on the ground with Max's head between my legs, telling him to open his eyes. He said he just wanted to sleep.

"The paramedics were working on him, cutting at his clothes. He was so pale." Ms Ekland told how she screamed after later being told by medics that Max would not survive.