Who is Mel Jones? Mother of Rhys Jones who was murdered in Liverpool by gang member Sean Mercer

MELANIE Jones is the mother of 11-year-old schoolboy Rhys, who was killed in Croxteth, Liverpool in 2007.

Let's take a closer look at the brave mum.

Who is Melanie Jones?

Melanie - or Mel - Jones is the mother of Rhys Jones, an 11-year-old schoolboy killed in Liverpool one month before his twelfth birthday in 2007.

Everton fan Rhys was gunned down in broad daylight when a hooded youth cycled by and fired three shots from a handgun. One struck Rhys in the back.

Upon hearing what had happened Melanie rushed to the scene and her lad died in her arms.

Mother of Owen and wife to Steve, Melanie worked at a Tesco store and had lived in the area for 17 years.

In the days following Rhys' death she appealed directly for his killer to come forward.

Then 41, she said: "Turn yourself in. How can you live with yourself?

"You are not going to be able to live with yourself. It's going to be on your conscience for the rest of your life."

Melanie also asked anyone with information to be brave and speak out as a fearful community clammed up.

After the conviction of Rhys' killer, Sean Mercer, Melanie stood beside her husband on the steps of Liverpool Crown Court as he said "justice has been done for Rhys" before thanking the people of Liverpool for their support.

Melanie is releasing a book entitled Stay with me, Rhys on April 19, 2018, which tells her heartbreaking story.

What did Melanie say in her first TV interview?

The parents of murdered Rhys appeared on This Morning on April 17, 2018.

Melanie told hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby that she did not feel hate towards gang member Sean Mercer but she could never forgive him.

She said: "I don't hate him because it just uses up too much of your energy but I will never forgive him."