The family of a teenager who was fatally stabbed have expressed their hurt and anger after being told one of his killers has been released as the anniversary of the 15-year-old's death approaches.

And they have called for tougher sentences for knife crime - saying they are unable to move forward with their lives after their heart-breaking loss.

Reece Tansey was fatally stabbed with a kitchen knife on Walker Avenue, Great Lever, on May 4, 2021.

The family say they were informed that Mark Nuttall who was convicted of the manslaughter of Reece, has been released.

The Bolton News: Nuttall has been released

Nuttall, now 17-year-old and from Farnworth, was sentenced to six years in detention February 2022.

James White, now aged 18 and also from Farnworth, was given life with a minimum of 15-years for murder in detention.

The Bolton News: White was jailed for murder

Mother Laura Tansey told The Bolton News: “It is horrible, it is not right. I have just been trying to block it all out. I do not think it feels real.

“It feels numb to me, it is like I am in a trance every day. The days are going by so fast.

“I am in such a rut, I do not go out, I just do the school run. I do not know what to say.

“It is just wrong isn’t it? The law needs to chance to stop kids from carrying weapons.

“Every time I go on social media I see someone has been stabbed.”

Ian Nice, Reece’s father, said: “I am angry, I am upset and I am angry.

“My son is not going to have a second chance in life. He is not going to get the opportunity to grow up and be a man and have a family and kids.

“What is three years? That is hard to accept. It wasn’t long enough.

“If people carry a knife it should be a minimum of five years full term and if they use it there would be another five years.

“I would say to him ‘you ruined my life.

“‘I have lost my son and he is never going to come back and you have been released.’

“I miss him so much, it is not fair.”

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Another relative added: “I was out in public shopping when I got the call to say he was being released, I wanted to cry out but I could not.”

The letter from the probation service, seen by The Bolton News, assured the family that the release would not be on May 4 which is the anniversary of the death.

It also stressed that he would be on licence and unable to enter Bolton or Wigan and is not able to contact any relatives of Reece.

It adds: "The offender will be subject to licence conditions until their sentence expiry date in May 2027.

"Should the offender breach any licence condition, they could be given a verbal warning, a written warning, or be recalled to custody to serve some or all of the remaining sentence."

A Youth Custody Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “Children and young people on licence are kept under close supervision and subject to strict conditions for the remainder of their sentence. If they break those conditions they face being brought back to custody.”